Diamonds in the Rough
by Lia06
Summary: Miracle OC meets Mac’s twin sister, Ellie. He has commitment issues she’s had her heart broken one too many times. Can they change each other before the Olympics?
1. Chapter One

A/N: This is my first _Miracle_ fic. I love OC and I wanted to write a story about him. See, everyone thinks he's really cocky, but I think that underneath all of that, there must be a real gentleman with a heart of gold, so I created this story. Obviously, I only own Ellie and her friends. And I know it's pretty much a Mary Sue.

Title: Diamonds in the Rough

Author: Lia06

Rating: PG-13 (may go up, I don't know; I don't think so.)

Summary: OC meets Mac's twin sister, Ellie. He has commitment issues; she's had her heart broken one too many times. Can they change each other?

**This chapter has been edited.**

Rob McClanahan's POV

Steve Janaszak walked over to me. "Hey, Mac, where's the princess?"

I laughed. "Todd took her to California for two weeks. They're supposed to be back in week, but I think they'll be back a lot sooner."

"Why?" Buzz Schneider asked.

I shrugged; the answer seemed obvious to me. "They've been fighting a lot lately. He wants to work things out; she wants to split. Also, she drove Rammer's car, so this vacation ends whenever she loses it with him."

"Who is the princess?" asked Mike Eruzione. It was the first day of practices for the US Olympic Hockey Team of 1980 and the team was just starting to get to know each other. Just that morning, OC and I had gone at it over the '76 Championships. Or rather, he'd attacked me about it.

"The princess is Rob's twin sister, Ellie," Jannie answered. "Her real name is Elizabeth Grace and the Grace part comes from the fact that her mom loves Grace Kelly movies, so her brother nicknamed her Ellie Grace."

"Then we started at Minnesota," I continued. "And we met Jannie, who nicknamed her 'The Princess' after the fact that Grace Kelly is a princess."

"And she's beautiful, like Grace Kelly," Buzz added. "But she looks like Audrey Hepburn; she has long dark brown hair and beautiful brown eyes that are almost always hidden behind sunglasses."

"Is she hot?" Ralph Cox asked.

Jannie grabbed me before I could charge off in defense of my sister; you don't talk about my sister like that. "Easy, Mac, he's never met her."

At the bar that night, Rizzo sat down next to Jannie. "Why'd Mac lose it when Coxie asked if his sister is hot?"

"Ask Mac himself."

"Why?" OC asked. "I don't want to talk to him." He glared at me. "Not ever."

"Well, I don't like telling bad stories about myself, so I don't want to tell it. I made a fool out of myself with Ellie over two years ago."

"Oh, this sounds like an interesting story," Rizzo said. "I'd love it hear it."

Jannie shook his head. "Nope, you're not going to here it, not from me at least. Maybe when Ellie gets back you ask her."

Jack O'Callahan's POV

Two days later, I walked out of the locker room to find a short young woman with dark brown hair standing by the door. "Is Robbie McClanahan in there?" she asked me

"Who wants to know?" I answered with my typical tough guy attitude. I really didn't care much for Mac and I sure as heck wasn't going to tell his girlfriend how to find him, especially since this girl was a babe.

"His sister, Ellie McClanahan," she replied. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," I replied with a laugh, trying to come off as nonchalant. She's Mac's sister? How'd he end up with a sister who looks like that? "It's just that I'm not about to let just any girl into the locker room."

"I don't want to go in there; last year, Herb almost killed me for going into the guys' locker room." She smiled. "I'll just wait out here."

Just then, Buzzy walked out of the locker room. "Ellie!" he screamed, picking her up and swinging her around. "Rob said you wouldn't be back for another week!"

"Todd won't be back for at least that long; I, on the other hand, am sick of pompous jackasses. Tell Rammer I have his keys for him and remind me never to date a guy I meet in a bar again."

"Never date a guy you meet in a bar again," Buzz repeated back to her.

"Wise guy," she moaned. "Remind me again why I hang out with you."

"Because you think I'm the hottest guy on earth," he replied.

"Oh shut up, Buzz; I'm just waiting for Rob." I smiled as I watched her. She was so cute, so comfortable.

"Why?"

"Julie has a date with Ron tonight, so I'm left alone; she wasn't expecting me to be home, so she didn't try to hook me up with one of Ron's friends."

"This is why you don't room with an engaged woman," Buzz replied. "She has no social life, thereby depriving you of yours."

"I'll Julie you said that," she replied. "I'm sure she'd be glad to know that her ex-boyfriend walks around insulting her."

"You know what, Ellie?" Buzz asked.

But he never got to finish his thought because just then, Mac walked out of the locker room. "Ellie, you're back!" he yelled, hugging his sister. Again, I asked myself how he got a sister that looked like that. "Where's Todd?"

"Probably still in California," she replied calmly. "But I'm not really sure; we broke up. His obsession with blondes was getting in the way."

"It took you a whole year to figure that out?" Rob asked, half teasing, half serious.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Rob, I'm a big girl; I can make my own decisions. I don't need you following me everywhere. I'm not a baby."

"That's true," Buzzy interjected. "You're not even his baby sister; that honor goes to Kathie." Kathie was Ellie and Robbie's twelve-year-old sister.

"So, come with us for dinner?" Mac asked his twin. "We're going to O'Malley's."

"I don't know. I might have plans; I'll have to check my social calendar. I'm not sure, but I think I have a think at the country club tonight with my bridge club."

Her brother rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, you don't have a bridge club; that's Mom's gig."

"Besides, you just told OC and me that you came down here to see if you could tag along with us," Buzzy pointed out.

"And I was really hoping I could get to know you," I added. I was dead serious; I really wanted to get to know her. "After all, Buzzy says you're a real princess."

"Well, I'll go with you guys, but only because this guy wants to meet a real princess," Ellie said with a smile. "I'm not doing this for Buzzy, Robbie, or Jannie; this is all for this guy you keep calling 'OC.'"

"Ellie, this is Jack 'OC' O'Callahan," Mac said; I guess he finally remembered that I existed. "Jack, this is my twin sister, Ellie McClanahan."

"Nice to meet you," Ellie said, shaking my hand. Her smile made it damn near impossible to not like her immediately.

I smiled, mostly just because of how beautiful her smile was. "Nice to meet you, too."

Ellie and I stood there staring into each other's eyes until Mac waved his hand in front of his sister's face. "Hello? Earth to Ellie, come on; some of us are hungry."

"Huh?" Ellie muttered. "What? Oh, sorry, yeah we can go."

When they got to O'Malley's, the first thing Mac noticed was that his sister was sitting between him and me. He smiled and whispered to Janaszak, "You know, Ellie's a traitor; she gets one good look at a BU guy and suddenly all the years of being Rob McClanahan's sister go down the drain. She likes him."

"Who? OC?" Jannie shook his head. "You know he's know for his inability to commit."

"Who else at this table is known for their inability to commit?" Rob asked.

"Your sister," Jannie sighed. All of Ellie's relationships ended in heartbreak. "Just pray that they both stay true to form and no one will get hurt."

"Or we could enact a rule forbidding anyone from dating my sister," the protective twin suggested.

"Wouldn't work," Buzz said. "Remember what happened the last time you did that? You told us that no one could date Ellie and some genius just had to go and try it out."

"The aforementioned genius would like everyone to know that 'once burned, twice shy,'" Jannie told his friends.

"Hey, you thought you were in love," Rob said. "You didn't know what Ellie's like."

"Mac, I broke her heart; I set her up for this pattern of serial dating," Jannie protested. "I treated your sister like crap and I'm a jerk."

"True," Mac consented. "And if I could, I would have you strung up by your thumbs. But that won't help you and it won't change Ellie's outlook on dating."

"Maybe OC will change her," Rizzo suggested. "He does know how to conduct a serious relationship. He's just not a big fan of getting his heart broken; it's happened to him one too many times."

"So he decided that life should just be one long string of meaningless one night stands?" Jannie asked.

"Sort of, I guess, and I mean he actually can find the girls to have that kind of a lifestyle with," Rizzo moaned.

"He and Ellie should get together; they're perfect for each other," John "Bah" Harrington suggested.

"She believes that most men are just a bunch of jerks who only think about one thing," Rob explained.

"What happened with Todd?" Rizzo asked.

"He was in a bunch of her classes last fall and she thought he seemed like a decent guy. I wasn't crazy about him, but I thought she was finally starting to recover from The Mess, so I let her be. But then I started seeing him with other girls and the relationship became less serious; then they went to California together because he wanted to patch things up. She dumped him the night they got out there because she found him with someone else."

"So she continues the pattern of being with guys who hurt her," Jannie muttered. "First there was some self-absorbed jerk, then there was Peter and now Todd. She just keeps getting into these relationships with guys who don't treat her the way she deserves."

Meanwhile, Ellie and I were talking; I was paying attention to her, but listening to the guys out of the corner of my ear. "So you've lived in Minnesota your entire life?" he asked. "Doesn't it get a little cold?"

She smiled. "Yeah, but my family is here; I can't just leave them. My youngest sister is only twelve."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Robbie, Jennie, Natalie, and Kathie, Rob's my twin, Jen is sixteen, Natalie's fourteen, and Kathie's twelve," she replied. "What about you?"

"How many siblings do I have? I only have a younger brother and a younger sister; James is nineteen and Annie is seventeen."

"So, you're the oldest?"

I nodded. "And you?"

"Nope, Robbie beat me into the world by about twenty minutes. I've been as stubborn as a mule since before I was born; I was convinced the world was better inside my mom than outside." She sighed. "I think I was right."

I smiled; I don't know why, but just being around her made me smile. "Can I ask you what the story is with you and Janaszak?"

Ellie shook her head. "Not yet, maybe when I know you better; I have to wait and see if I can trust you."

I nodded, trying to be sympathetic. "It was that bad?"

"Worse than you can imagine."

Just then, a tall, slender blonde walked into the bar. The instant she spotted Janaszak, she ran over to him. "Baby!" she called. "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. Why did you tell me that you'd be going out with your friends tonight? I could have brought some of my friends along." Then she saw Ellie. "Oh, I see you're still trying to steal Jannie away from me, slut."

"I wouldn't go near Jannie if you paid me all the money in the world," Ellie replied. "I've moved onto bigger and better things." She leaned back against my chest and smiled; then I wrapped my arm around her. I felt like she needed me to protect her. "I've learned that there are diamonds in the rough."

I smiled down at her. Damn, she was gorgeous "And I've learned that not everyone in Minnesota is an idiot; some people are actually quite wonderful."

"Jannie, why are you letting them say this stuff?" the girl whined.

"Look, Leslie, I wanted to come out for a night on the town with the guys. We didn't want to have a bunch of girls around tonight."

"That would explain why you let Ellie come along."

Rob's eyes narrowed and I tightened my grip on Ellie; this was not good. "Ellie came because we wanted to see Jack, but we couldn't get him without his girl."

"Oh, so now you're in the clingy bitch business," Leslie remarked.

"No, Ellie was fine with spending the night without me," I remarked fiercely; I pulled Ellie closer to my body. "I didn't want to leave her all by herself, so Robbie and I asked the rest of the guys if it would be all right if I brought Ellie along."

"And we all love Ellie," Rizzo continued. "So we were delighted to have her come along. She knows all about hockey and she's OC's girl and Mac's sister; she's the team's princess."

"Leslie, get lost," Jannie hissed. "I don't want to deal with you right now."

She made a sour face and said, "You'll regret this, Steven Janaszak." Then she left.

Ellie turned to face me. "Thank you, Jack," she whispered. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did," I replied. "I have a sister; if anyone ever treated my sister like that, I'd want someone to stand up for her. Besides, you didn't deserve what she was saying about you." It was true; if anyone ever did that to Annie, I'd kill them.

She smiled and hugged me. "I guess this means you think my family isn't so bad?"

I shook my head. "Nah, you're a good person and I guess Rob's not that bad. He can be a pretty decent guy when he's not playing for Minnesota."

"Glad to hear it," she replied. "Rizzo, you were great, too."

"No problem, you're Rob's sister; we have to take care of you," Rizzo told her.

"Always glad to have twenty extra brothers," she joked.

After a brief pause in the conversation, Bah remembered something. "Ellie, Herb was wondering if you're still working three jobs."

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm working four now."

"What?" Mac practically screamed. "You're working four jobs? Elizabeth, are you crazy? What are you doing?"

"I'm still giving piano lessons, teaching ballet on Saturday mornings, teaching ice skating afternoons every day except Sunday, and now I'm babysitting Heidi when Ron and Julie go out."

"Then who's watching her tonight?" Rob asked.

"Julie's mom wanted some time with her granddaughter. Plus, I think she wants to try to convince them to actually go through with the engagement and get married."

Rob shook his head. "Not going to happen, Ron only asked Julie to marry him because of Heidi; the guy still has the biggest case of commitment phobia in the history of the world. He's not going to get married just because he has a daughter."

Rizzo looked at the McClanahan twins. "I'm confused. Who is Julie?"

"My roommate," Ellie answered. "I live with her, her fiancé, and their two-month-old daughter. But I have to move out soon since it's only a two-bedroom apartment."

"You could always go live with Mom and Dad," Mac suggested.

"Or I could shoot myself in the head; it's a faster form of suicide," his sister retorted. "Why did Herb want to know if I was working three jobs?"

"He's looking for a physical therapist to work with the team," Mac replied. "And I suggested you, so he wants to know if you're available."

"I think so," she replied. "Tell him I'll come by tomorrow and talk to him about it. He has to be willing to work with my other schedules."

"Please tell me you'll cut back on your working," her brother begged her. "I really don't need you to make yourself sick again; if you do, you know Mom and Dad will make you go live with them and you'll end up married to some guy from the country club."

She rolled her eyes. "Just to avoid that, I'll try to take better care of myself."

"Thank you," her brother sighed. "By the way, if Heidi's at her grandma's, that means that Ron and Julie are having a date, doesn't it?"

"You mean the kind of date where I don't get any sleep if I stay there? No, they went out to have some kind of discussion. If things change, I'll go over to your place, but I don't think they will."

"What are they discussing?"

"The State of Their Relationship," Ellie said in a mocking voice. "Julie wants to find out if she's ever going to get any sort of commitment out of Ron."

"She isn't," Buzzy answered. "You're more likely to commit than he is."

"Oh, gee, thanks," Ellie replied sarcastically. "I feel so loved. Look, it was nice seeing you people, but I need to get home. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Rob hugged his sister before she left. "Be good," he told her.

"Yes, Daddy dearest," she replied with a smirk.

"Hey, I'm the older brother here; I can give the orders."

"You can also be delusional," Ellie replied, walking out of the bar.

I smiled. I might not like Mac that much, but his sister was pretty irresistible.

A/N: Okay, please review and tell me if I should keep writing. I hope you liked it.


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: I don't own _Miracle_. I don't even own my family's copy of the DVD; it's my brother's. (Weeps in her corner.) But (smiling cheerfully) I do own Ellie, Heidi, Ron (not that I want to own him), and Julie.

From here on out, the story will be told from a character's POV. This chapter is told from Ellie's POV.

The next morning, I walked into Herb's office. I'd had a long night, but right now I could really use a real job, i.e. one that paid more than five dollars an hour. Ron and Julie had broken up the night before. Ron was moving to Texas for a job and Julie was going off to find herself. So, they wanted me to take care of Heidi until Julie found herself; Mrs. Watson couldn't or wouldn't do it. So with rent to pay and a baby to take care of, I desperately needed a job. My miracle of a younger sister, Natalie, was babysitting Heidi while I went to meet with Herb.

"Ellie, come in!" was Herb's welcome when I knocked on his office door. "How are you?"

"Keeping busy," I replied as I sat down. "Robbie says you're looking for a physical therapist?"

"Yeah, I have Doc here, but I could use your help."

"And I could use a job," I told him.

"Rob said you already have four." His eyebrows were raised; he knew how sick I'd gotten when I'd overworked myself the summer before.

I smiled reassuringly. "Three, Julie left this morning to 'find herself' and Ron is moving to Texas for work, so they left Heidi in my care-no pay."

"This is almost perfect," Herb replied. "You're a physical therapist who needs a job and I need a physical therapist for my team; you've got the job."

"Thank you so much," I told him. "But there's one thing; I'm going to have to bring Heidi with me everywhere."

Herb nodded. "It's fine. When can you start?"

"As soon as I rescue Heidi from my sisters; they agreed to baby-sit her, but they were planning to have some friends over or something and I'm a little worried about that. I can be back in about an hour."

"Then I'll see you in an hour," Herb replied.

An hour later, I walked into the rink with Heidi in my arms. At two months old, she slept most of the time; she was also quite the little cutie. She was currently bundled up in a snowsuit I'd borrowed from my mother. I spent most of practice just watching the boys, thankfully. I didn't want to have to go to work this early; the team didn't need anyone getting hurt in July.

After showering and changing, my brother came over to talk to me. "What's little Miss Munchkin doing here?" he asked as I took Heidi out of her snowsuit. "Did Romeo and Juliet break up?"

I smiled. "Yeah, Ron got a job in Texas and Julie started questioning her 'personal identity' after Heidi was born, so she went off to find herself. But apparently, when one is seeking oneself, one cannot take one's two-month-old daughter along for the ride. One must instead leave the aforementioned daughter with one's best friend and roommate. Oh, and did I mention that Ron started drinking again and he is staying with Heidi and me until he moves this weekend?"

Rob hugged me. "I'm sorry. If you really want to, you can come stay with Buzz and me. We both snore and the place stinks, but Ron isn't there."

I smiled. "No thanks, I'd rather not expose an infant to that stench. My only worry is that Ron will come home again drunk and start hitting things."

Rob's eyes narrowed; the last time Ron had come home drunk Julie had ended up with a black eye and I'd ended up with a broken arm. "You're not staying there by yourself. If you won't come stay with Buzzy and me, at least let one of us come stay with you."

"I don't know." I was reluctant to have Rob come stay with me; I knew how he felt about me living with Ron and Julie at all. "I'm afraid you'll overreact if something does happen."

He nodded. "Well, if I'm not allowed to protect you, the least I can do is send an emissary. What do you say to Buzzy?"

"I say he snores and he smells funny," I replied knowing full well that Buzz had just walked out of the locker room and could hear me.

"I snore and I smell funny? Elizabeth, I feel so loved," Buzzy was making puppy faces at me.

"You should, you smelly old man," I teased; Buzzy and I had teased each other terribly when he and Ron played at the U. "Look, Rob, you don't have to find me a bodyguard; I'm a big girl."

"You're twenty-two but you're also small. Last time Ron got drunk, he broke your arm; I don't need to deal with those kinds of phone calls again." As Rob was talking, Jack O'Callahan came out of the locker room; immediately, my brother seized upon a new idea. "OC, you got any plans for tonight?"

"Yeah, Rizzo's making spaghetti and meatballs; then I'm going to catch up on my sleeping." His Boston drawl was beautiful. They should make recordings of him talking and sell them to women as sleep aids.

"No, you're not," Rob replied. "You're helping Ellie take care of Heidi."

"What?" Jack and I yelled together.

"Rob, I told you; I can handle Ron. I know he's a drunk, but I'll be fine."

"I have plans!" Jack yelled. Then he turned to me. "You're staying with a drunk? Mac, what's going on?"

"My sister's roommates broke up and left her with their daughter; the guy is moving to Texas and the girl is going off on a road trip by herself. The problem is the guy isn't moving until this weekend and he's a drunk."

"He's still staying in the apartment with Ellie and the baby?" OC asked.

"Yeah," I mumbled; I knew where this was going.

"Mac, I'll stay with her," he replied quickly.

"Thank you," my brother replied with a smile. That was first; Rob McClanahan smiling at Jack O'Callahan. "Ellie, take OC to his room so he can get his stuff and don't ruin dinner tonight."

"Yes, Daddy," I replied.

He shook his head. "Jack, Ellie, behave yourselves, and Ellie, don't give me any of that Miss Minnesota lip."

We were driving to my apartment from the dorm when Jack looked over at me. "What did your brother mean by 'don't give me any of that Miss Minnesota lip'?"

I sighed. "My mother wanted to be a beauty queen when she was younger, but it didn't work out for her. From the day I was born, she was grooming me to be a beauty queen. That's how I learned to play the piano and do ballet. But my parents started Robbie in hockey when he was four and I wanted to do everything that he did. So, then I started ice skating, figure skating, of course. But mother dearest would not be deterred. So, when I was sixteen, I was forced to enter the Miss Teen Minnesota Pageant."

"Let me guess," he said. "You were the runner-up and that's why everyone calls you princess; the Grace Kelly story is a load of bull."

"Nope," I replied. "The Grace Kelly story is true; my mother adores her and the boys nicknamed me after her. I won the pageant; I was Miss Teen Minnesota 1973."

"Oh my gosh!" he gasped. "You? You were a beauty queen?"

"What? Am I not pretty enough?" This guy was a jerk.

"No," he said seriously. "Ellie, you're gorgeous. You just don't act like a beauty queen."

"Then this will really shock you. My parents belong to a local country club and I practically grew up there."

"Your family belongs to a country club? You were Miss Teen Minnesota? That's a little hard to believe, Ellie. I mean, you and Mac, you're normal people."

"Yes, but Mother darling isn't. She is a socialite and the stereotypical rich man's wife. She goes to the country club, drinks martinis and daiquiris with her friends, plays bridge once a week at her friend Margie's house, dresses like a model, and smokes like a chimney. She's very elitist too; she's always lecturing Rob and me about marrying within our social class. She wanted me to go to Wellesley; I wanted to go to the University of Minnesota. She wanted me to major in home economics; I became a physical therapist instead."

He made a face. "She sounds awful." Then he smiled. "Hey, look on the bright side; at least she didn't name you some fancy name like Vivian."

"No, she just named my younger sister Vivian Jennifer. I got off easy with Elizabeth Grace; I think it's because I caused so much trouble when I was born."

"What kind of trouble?"

"I was a twin; she was in labor with us for like twenty-eight hours, so we escaped with Elizabeth Grace and Robert James. The younger girls got landed with Vivian Jennifer, Natalie Jacqueline, and Katherine Patricia."

"Geez, I got off lucky with John Patrick."

"You Irish?" I asked.

"Yep, why?"

"Mother will hate you; she hates Irish people. Are you Catholic?"

"I was raised Catholic; I don't know if I am."

"Mom will hate you."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

I shrugged. "For you, I don't know; for Robbie and me, it's great."

"What do you mean?" Jack was confused. Of course, if I were in his shoes, I would have been confused too. But, then, he hadn't met my mother yet.

"Mom wants me to marry Preston Harrison, the son of one of her bridge friends."

"And you're still the bad little girl who doesn't want to do what Mommy says," he teased. "So you don't want to marry him."

"Well, yeah, but besides that, he smokes like a smokestack, he smells like cheap perfume, and he gambles so much I doubt his father's entire fortune could cover his debts." Just then, I pulled into the parking lot by my apartment building. "I hope you're up for climbing because I live on the sixth floor and there's no elevator."

"I'm fine," he replied. "I'm used to climbing stairs; my dorm room was on the eighth floor. But are you going to be okay carrying Heidi?"

"I'll be fine; she's not that heavy."

We both survived the trip up the stairs. I unlocked the door and let him in. "I don't think Ron's here, but I'm not sure," I told him. "Just be careful."

"Okay. Where do you want me to stash my stuff?"

"My bedroom's fine; it's the bedroom where the bed's all made up," I told him. "I'll get started on dinner."

"What are we having?"

"Well, tonight we have a multitude of options. If you're Heidi, you're having formula. If you're you or me, we're having whatever I can scrounge up out of the fridge."

He put his stuff in my room and came back into the kitchen. "What's in the fridge?"

"Look and see," I told him. "I have spaghetti in the cupboards as well as canned soup, peanut butter, a loaf of bread, formula, and applesauce."

He stuck his head in the fridge. "You have cheese, strawberry jelly, carrots, tomatoes, pickles, hair gel that I won't ask about, broccoli, a baby bottle, and four eggs."

"No meat?" I asked.

"There's some sliced turkey, like lunch meat."

I sighed. "Well, your options are eggs, canned soup, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, formula, or pizza."

"We're ordering the pizza, not making it out of the hair gel, right?"

"Yes," I said laughing.

"What kind of canned soup?"

"Cream of chicken," I told him.

"I have an idea," he told me. "Give me Heidi and cook the soup."

"Okay." I was confused, but I handed over the baby and started cooking the soup. "Anything else?"

"How am I supposed to hold her? Can I hold her on my hip or is she still too young?"

"Your hip is fine. I'm just amazed she's letting you hold her; she's usually terrified of strangers." Heck, she was terrified of her own father, but he was terrified of her too, so turn about and turn about is fair play.

"She's mesmerized by my charm and good looks," he replied with that famous smile. "Now, boil the spaghetti," he ordered as he rubbed Heidi's back.

"What am I making?"

"It's this thing Rizzo's mom makes," he told me. "You're supposed to put cream of mushroom soup over pasta, but cream of chicken should do the same thing. If you want, you can scramble up some eggs with cheese, tomatoes, and broccoli to make sure I share."

"Or you could do that," I told him.

"But I'm playing with the baby," he told me. Just as he said that, she started fussing. "Is she hungry?" he asked me.

I nodded. "I'll make her a new bottle; the one in the fridge was there when I got home yesterday. It's probably not safe."

"Okay." He lifted her up so he was looking her in the eye. "It'll be okay, Heidi. Ellie will make you a bottle and everything will be better again. You'll be good for me, won't you? I don't have any experience with little kids. But don't tell Ellie, okay? She's nervous enough as it is; we don't need her to get any more nervous. So, how about this? We'll both be good tonight; Heidi and OC will behave for Ellie? Do I have a deal?"

She kept fussing and screaming. "OC," I told him. "She can't understand you."

"That's okay," he told me with a smile. "I can't understand her either."

I smiled at the pair of them. He was talking to her and she was fussing. After a few minutes of this, her bottle was ready. I took it out of the pot on the stove, tested it on my wrist, and looked at him. "Should I feed her or do you want to?"

"If you show me how, I'll do it."

I smiled at him and took Heidi in my arms. "Hey, gorgeous, I know I'm not your mommy, but I have something you'll really like." I looked at Jack. "Hold her like this and put the nipple in her mouth. It may take her a few minutes to get her mouth around it, but once she has a firm grip on it, she'll just go to town."

OC nodded; he watched, mesmerized, as she started drinking the formula. "She's so tiny. Her fingers, Ellie, they're so tiny and perfect; look at her fingernails. They're so tiny; she's like the dolls Annie used to play with when she was little."

I smiled. "I remember thinking that when Jennie was born; Rob and I thought she was just another doll for me to play with. We were only six years old. But when Natalie came along, I would help Mother with the baby as much as I could and the same thing with Kathie. But I wasn't one of those girls who wanted to be a mommy when I grew up."

He took the baby from me and held her. As she ate, he asked me a question. "What did you want to be when you grew up?"

"At first, I wanted to be the first woman to play in the NHL, but that dream died off after a while. Then, I wanted to be Peggy Fleming or Dorothy Hamill; I wanted to wear those beautiful outfits, skate in front of adoring crowds that threw teddy bears and flowers at me."

He smiled. "When did you decide you wanted to be a physical therapist?"

"When I was about sixteen or seventeen, my best friend at the rink fell doing a jump and messed up her knee. I could drive and she couldn't, so I had to take her to rehab every day. It was only because of rehab that she could ever skate again and I decided I wanted to help people like her."

He smiled the Jack O'Callahan smile; it's the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. "Stir the soup and check the pasta. Oh, and start on the eggs and vegetables thing. Is there a real name for eggs, cheese, and vegetables?"

I laughed. "Yes, they're called omelets."

"Oh, I always wondered what those things were."

"I'm starting to wonder how you got into Boston University."

"Didn't I ever tell you how rich my parents are?"

Twenty minutes later, we sat down to dinner. I was holding Heidi and trying to eat. "How do you hold a baby and eat at the same time?" OC asked, perplexed.

"Very carefully," I replied.

"You know, this pasta's pretty good."

"It was your idea," I replied. "You'll have to tell Mrs. Eruzione how good this is."

He nodded and smiled. "She taught me how to make it after discovering just how hopeless I was in the kitchen. I couldn't even make toast."

I smiled and started giggling. He looked at me. "What? Ellie, what's so funny? Come on, tell me!"

"You couldn't even make toast? OC, you are pathetic!"

"You know, little Miss Minnesota, I bet there are plenty of things I can do that you can't do." He looked mad.

"Toast, you stick in the toaster!" I kept laughing.

"Ellie, stop laughing at me! Ellie, come on! Elizabeth," his voice became stern. "Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, you're going to behave now!"

"What makes you think that, John Patrick O'Callahan?"

"If you don't behave, I'll kiss you!" was his threat.

"Oh, really?"

"Really," he replied with mischief in those gorgeous blue eyes. Then he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and leaned in for the kill. As he pressed his lips against mine, I found myself liking it. Oh, I knew it was a joke, but still, you knew there was passion in this man. When he pulled away, we both laughed, but I knew we'd both learned something from that kiss.

Later that evening, we were sitting on the couch when he asked me that oh-so-important question. "Where am I going to sleep tonight?"

He couldn't sleep on the couch; I needed him in the bedroom with Heidi and me. And I told him that. "So, I guess you can either have the floor or you can share the bed with me, if you can keep your hands in appropriate places."

"I'll try," he promised.

So, that night, Heidi slept in her crib and OC and I shared my bed; it wasn't really big enough for the two of us, so I ended up sleeping in his arms. He was just wearing a pair of shorts, so I could feel the warmth of his body, hear his breathing and his heartbeat, and smell him; he smelled amazing.

Thankfully, Ron didn't come by that night, but that didn't mean we were safe.

Two nights later, I was sleeping in the warm sanctity of OC's arms when I heard the apartment door bang open. Then I heard the sound of shattering glass, followed by a bellow. "Ellie! Where's my beer? Ellie, get out here and give me my beer! Be a good girl; you should do what Julie would have done!"

OC's grip on me grew tighter. "Shh," he whispered. "Stay quiet; maybe he'll never notice that we're here."

And he probably would have if Heidi hadn't woken up and started screaming. "Shit," I muttered.

Jack kissed my the top of my head and whispered, "I'll keep you safe; trust me, Ellie, I won't let him touch you or Heidi. No one's hurting my girls." _His girls_, the words made me smile inside. In the past two days since he started staying with me, Heidi and I had become OC's girls.

"I know you're here, Ellie! Come on, Ellie. Get me a beer." Ron was still bellowing.

Jack let go of me and climbed out of bed. He put on his pants. "I'll be right back. Hold Heidi and see if you can calm her down."

"Jack," I whispered, the fear I felt inside was evident in my voice. "Don't leave me alone."

He sat down next to me. "Ellie, I'll be back soon. I promise." He looked deep into my eyes. "Ellie, I'm not going to let him hurt my girls; I'll take care of him. I'm sober."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. Then he left and I went to get Ellie.

I could hear him yelling at Ron. I wasn't listening to their words; I was praying that God would keep OC safe. I heard yelling and banging, but I was afraid to leave the room. Then nearly thirty minutes later, OC came back into the room. "He's out."

As he climbed into bed, I started crying. "I was so scared."

He pulled me into his lap, into his arms. "Come here, you," he whispered. "I'm Jack O'Callahan and there's no way that bastard could get me down. You're my friend and Heidi's my little angel; there's no way I would go down fighting for you. He was not going to hurt you; I wouldn't let him. For one thing, Rob would kill me if I did and for another, I'm here to protect you. I will not fail."

I leaned against him. "Thank you."

A/N: They are NOT together. They're friends and that is it. He was just protecting her from an idiot. Please review!


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate comments, criticisms, and questions. Advice is nice too. I don't own _Miracle_; I own Ellie, Heidi, and my imaginary friend, Fred, he's a psychiatrist.

**DarkDestiny2000:** I haven't decided if Ellie was just teasing him about a crush or if they really did have a history. You'll find out when I decide.

**Misha:** There will definitely be more Ellie/Jannie tension. Yeah, Heidi is sticking around. For more on that, read the chapter.

**Babe7878:** I know his name is Jack, but that's a nickname for John. (I should know; I'm dating a guy named John who we all call Jack. Actually we call him Jack Ryan, but…) I'll try to make the scene breaks more obvious.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Five dollars an hour for teaching piano was shit even in the 70s because you're only working two or three hours a day, so you make like ten or fifteen dollars a day. My older sister, who teaches viola for a living, charges like thirty dollars an hour. Ballet and ice-skating probably would pay about $2.50/hr.

**Shannon:** Yeah, he's gorgeous, but so is my boyfriend and no one ever writes stories about him.

**Meadow567:** Your story is cool. I took your advice and redid the first chapter.

**Emador:** The kiss actually happened to me once. My friend was trying to make me shut up and I wouldn't, so he kissed me. Then I went and told his girlfriend. I'm glad you're enjoying this story.

Jack O'Callahan's POV

It had been a week since Ron's nighttime visit and I was back to rooming with Rizzo. Thankfully, I didn't have to share a bed with him; that would have been disturbing. Also, he doesn't wake up crying at two in the morning because he's hungry. But, I have to admit that staying with Ellie and Heidi wasn't all that bad. I still saw them at practice every day and they were starting to grow on me. Between Ellie's smiles and the sheer pleasure of just holding Heidi, my girls were a pair of princesses.

Then the letter from Julie came. It was a Friday night; we were all going out for dinner, even Ellie and Heidi. I came out of the locker room after practice to find Ellie sitting on the floor with Heidi in her lap, a letter in her hand, and a murderous look on her face. Immediately, I took Heidi from her arms and asked her what was wrong. She shoved the letter at me. "Read it."

Dear Ellie,

I'm in New Mexico. I'm not sure how long I'll stay here or where I'll go next. Finding myself seems to be taking longer that I thought it would. I'm more lost than ever and this could take several years. It sure is nice being away from Ron and Heidi; I can sleep until noon and no two am feedings. This is the life.

I'm not sure when or if I'll be back. You can keep Heidi until I come back. But I think I'll probably want her back, when she's a little older and can take care of herself. Give my baby my love.

All the best,

Julie

I was pissed. There was no way Julie could expect Ellie to raise Heidi for years and then just give her back after she "finds" herself. "Heidi needs stability," I told Ellie. "She doesn't need a new family when her mom grows up in five or ten years; she needs a real family now that will stick with her for the rest of her life." I looked at the baby on my hip. "You need a mommy who loves you."

She grabbed at my hair and Ellie laughed. "She loves hair," she explained. "All babies do. That little munchkin is always grabbing my hair. She thinks it's one of her toys or something."

"It's all right," I told Ellie. "I don't mind her little baby nonsense all that much." I looked into the baby's big beautiful green eyes. "I don't mind you at all; I think you're a little princess."

She just grabbed my hair. Ellie smiled. "Someday, this little munchkin will get a real family with a mommy and a daddy."

I hoped that she was right. Heidi was a sweet little girl and she didn't deserve her parents. I looked down at Ellie. "Are you all right?" I wasn't sure she was; she seemed a little shaken up still.

She shrugged. "I'm frustrated with Julie. She has a baby and then she abandons her with me. I just don't get it, Jack! Why couldn't she be a mother? Why did she have to go off to find herself? Doesn't she know who she is already?"

"I don't know. I don't know her, so I don't understand why she did this." Why did she need to go to New Mexico to figure out who she was? More importantly, why did she abandon Heidi? She seemed like a sweet little girl to me. I'd started to fall in love with the little girl, to be quite honest. I rubbed Heidi's back and she leaned against my chest. "Heidi, you're my princess."

Ellie's POV

"So, Mac, when's Kathie's next recital?" Jannie asked.

I groaned and Rob made a disgusted face. "The day after my funeral," Rob answered. "I cannot stand another one of those exhibitions."

"Why do they make the more talented students play later so you have listen to all twenty billion seven-year-olds play _Three Blind Mice_, _Mary Had a Little Lamb_, and _Hot Cross Buns_?" I hated those stupid things. "I swear, I want to kill half those kids by the end of the recital."

Rizzo took a sip of his beer. "I thought you gave piano lessons."

"That's the problem. I have to sit there next to those kids for all those songs. Their parents sit there applauding happily and taking pictures, but I cringe every time they hit the wrong note. Their parents are paying me to teach them to the play the piano but they keep messing up."

"And she has to wear a dress," Rob added. "She hates dresses."

"No, I hate the dresses Mom picks out for me to wear to the stupid recitals. Have you seen my dress for the next recital?" The recital was in a week.

"Is it pretty?" he asked. My mom has great taste in dresses; the problem is they are too fancy for kids' piano recitals.

"It's gorgeous, but it's just so fancy."

"So, if the guys want to see you in dress, they should come to the recital?" my brother asked, half-teasingly.

"Whatever," I sighed. "I have a bigger problem. I can't take Heidi to the recital; I need a babysitter."

"I'll watch her," OC volunteered. Everyone turned and looked at him. Personally, I was amazed at how involved he was getting with Heidi, and I couldn't figure out what he wanted. Why was he spending all this time taking care of Heidi? Did he honestly just like Heidi or was he just trying to get into my pants? Or, was he trying to get close to me so he could break my heart and piss off Robbie? I just couldn't figure him out. What did this guy want?

But something inside of me told me to give him a chance with Heidi. "All right, OC, be at my apartment next Friday at six-thirty. I should be home by ten."

He nodded. "I'll be there."

OC's POV

The next week went by fairly uneventfully. Friday morning, Mac stopped me on my way to the rink. "I'll drive you over to Ellie's apartment tonight."

"You're going to the recital?" I was shocked; he seemed to hate those things.

"I have to; my mom's going to kill me if I miss one of these things. The recital's at the country club and it's a chance for her to show off her two oldest children when we're dressed up. It's like being paraded at an auction that will sell us to the highest bidder."

"Ouch!"

Mac's POV

I knocked on OC's door at six-fifteen. Rizzo opened it. "Well, don't you look nice?"

"Tell OC I'm here and shut up." I hated being dressed up like this. I was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt and a dark red tie. I missed my jeans.

OC walked to the door and I glared at him. "No comments, let's just go."

"Geez, someone's defensive."

"You would be too if you had to wear this outfit."

"Let's just go," OC said, shaking his head. "You and your sister probably shouldn't be late for this gig."

I sighed. "Listen, I hate these stupid functions, so don't make it any worse than it already is."

As I pulled into the parking lot at Ellie's building, I spotted a familiar car in one of the guest spots; Todd was standing next to it. "Shit," I muttered. "That guy just can't leave Ellie alone."

OC looked vaguely at me. "You say something, Mac?"

"Shit," I replied. He shook his head; he must have thought I was crazy, swearing under my breath when I was going to pick my sister up so we could go to a piano recital. "OC, just don't use that kind of language around Heidi."

"Yes, sir," he replied. That lucky fink, he just had to baby-sit a well-behaved three-month old.

We got out of the car and headed for the building, following Todd closely. Well, I was following Todd; OC just thought we were going in the same direction as the guy. Todd was dressed nicely and he was carrying a bouquet of roses. My mind was instantly consumed with the concept of murdering Todd and making it look like an accident. But I couldn't do that when OC was around because I'd have to dispose of him too so I wouldn't have any witnesses. And then Herb would kill me because I'd killed OC. I'd have to kill Todd another day.

OC's POV

When we got to Ellie's door, there was this guy standing there wearing a suit and holding a bouquet of roses. I knew Ellie didn't have a date to the recital because for one thing she was the piano teacher and she'd be with the students all night and for another thing because she told me she didn't have a date.

The guy turned when he heard us approach. "Robbie, what are you doing here? Are you dating Julie?" Then he saw me. "Who are you? You can't be Ellie's date; you're not her type nor are you dressed to go out."

Rob's fists clenched. "Ellie's students have a piano recital tonight," he stated through clenched teeth. "And Julie doesn't live here anymore."

"What's this guy for? He's sure isn't dressed for a piano recital at the country club," he said as Ellie opened the door.

"Todd, it doesn't matter why Jack's here," Ellie said; she was breathtakingly gorgeous in a strapless black dress. "What matters is that you leave before I call the police."

"I'm not leaving until I know why he's here," this Todd creature demanded. "As your ex-boyfriend, I have a right to know if you're dating again."

"If I am dating again, which I'm not, I don't have to tell you. Todd, Jack is one of my brother's teammates and he needs Rob's car tonight, so he's driving Rob and me to the country club and he'll pick us up afterwards."

"Why can't you and Rob just use your car?"

How stupid was this guy? "There's a gas shortage," I told him. "It's less expensive if we only use one car."

He would have left and everything would have worked out perfectly if Heidi hadn't started crying just then. "Where's the baby? Whose baby is here? Ellie, did you have an affair?"

Okay, this guy was a moron. How could she have had a baby without him knowing? Ellie must have been thinking the same think because she came out and said it. "How could I have had baby when I was dating you? You would have known if I was pregnant. And why would I cheat on you? I'm not that kind of girl; you're that kind of guy, but that's beside the point." Heidi kept screaming and Ellie looked at me. "Jack, be a saint and go get Heidi for me, please?"

"Heidi?" Todd gasped as I walked away to get the baby. "You have Julie's baby? Where's Julie? I thought you said she was gone."

I walked into Ellie's bedroom to find a screaming baby lying in the crib. "Hey, princess," I whispered to her. I picked her up and held her close to my body; I knew that she loved being by a warm body. "Are you hungry?"

I took her continued wailing to mean that she was hungry. That was until I got a whiff of her; she needed a diaper change, which I did as quickly as possible. She stopped crying once her rear was cleaned up. Once I put a clean diaper on her, I picked her up again and we went out into the living room. "Todd's gone," Mac said as I walked into the room. "He left when he found out that you were THE Jack O'Callahan; apparently, your reputation precedes you."

I shrugged. "I thought maybe little Miss Stinky Pants here scared him off."

Ellie smiled. "Was it that messy?"

"Please never make me do that again," was all I could say. When I get married, my wife can take care of diaper duty, thank you very much.

"I'll see what I can do," she replied as she picked up her purse. "We should be back by ten, but try to have her in bed by nine-thirty at the latest. Then you can watch TV or whatever."

"And behave," Mac added as they walked out the door.

Ellie's POV

I absolutely hate these recitals; the only reason I even have them is that the parents demand them. They wanted to hear their precious little darlings play _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ so they knew that their money was going to something worthwhile. My more advanced students like my sisters play beautiful pieces of music, but it just takes so long to get to those pieces. I knew half the reason Robbie came was to keep me company.

So, after two and a half grueling hours of my younger students banging out _Hot Cross Buns_ and my older students letting their fingers dance across the keys to produce such melodies as Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, I was finally able to announce that there were refreshments available in the back of the room. Then I flew to my brother's side. Robbie hugged me and smirked at me. "What's so funny?"

He just laughed. "I'll tell you in a minute."

"Come on, Robbie, tell me!"

"Did you know that the name of the theme song to MASH is _Suicide is Painless_?" My brother was laughing as he said this.

"Yeah, well, living's easier than dying, Rob," was my reply. "It wasn't that bad. Heck, Natalie and Jennie were actually really good. Kathie impressed me the most though; I didn't know she'd done that much practicing."

"She was amazing," Rob agreed. Kathie had played Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_ beautifully despite the fact that during her lesson on Tuesday I hadn't been sure she would be able to play without embarrassing herself tonight.

Kathie rushed over to me. "Was I good? Ellie, did I do a good job?"

I loved my youngest sister. Out of all of us, she was the most likely to be Mom's perfect beauty queen. I had gone far, but I broke my leg ice-skating a week before the Miss Teen America pageant and I had to step down.

"Was I good, Ellie?"

I hugged her. "You were fabulous, absolutely fabulous. I was astonished at how good you were. Robbie, wasn't she amazing?"

My brother smiled and hugged Kathie. "You were wonderful. I couldn't believe how well you did."

Kathie smiled. She, like Jennie and Natalie, had inherited Mother's blonde hair and blue eyes; Robbie and I had both inherited Dad's dark brown hair and eyes. Kathie hugged Robbie and me again and then ran off to our mother who was waiting with a bouquet of roses for her.

"Mom spoils her, you know," Robbie told me. "She showers her with affection and gifts. Neither of us every got anything like that. She never gave you roses for your recitals, ballet or piano."

I shrugged. He was right, of course. "I've learned to let that go," I told him. "I know that Mother loves her blonde babies more than me. It's just the way she is; she wants a daughter who can be her doll. And she finally has that in Kathie. Robbie, she's happy; I'll just leave her be."

Robbie hugged me. "Ellie, just don't ever let her make you sell yourself short. You're a wonderful girl and you don't deserve anything less than the best."

I smiled. "Don't worry, Robbie. I'm not stupid enough to believe people who tell me I'm not beautiful just because I have brown hair."

My mother came over just then. "My darlings, how are you? Robert, how's your job search going?"

"I'm on the Olympic hockey team, playing for Coach Brooks," Rob replied. "I've told you this before, Mother."

"I think you have," Mother replied. "But Robert, why aren't you trying to get a job? You'll need a good job if you're ever going to marry a nice girl like Donna or Erin."

"The NHL is more likely to look at me if I play on the Olympic team. I have a degree from the U and I can find a job if things don't pan out after the Olympics."

Mother gave Rob a worried look. "All right, but only if you're certain." She turned to me. "Your students were amazing tonight; you do an excellent job teaching these kids to play. But do you have a more serious job? Teaching ballet, piano, and ice-skating don't pay well enough for you to keep that apartment and raise Heidi."

"Coach Brooks hired me as a physical therapist for the team until the Olympics and after that, I can get a job at a hospital," I explained, hoping my mother would understand.

"Or you could marry Preston," Mother suggested.

"I don't think so," I replied calmly.

"Or maybe you'll meet someone at one of these recitals."

"Maybe," Rob suggested. "She'll meet one of the guys on the hockey team, fall madly in love with him, and move off to Boston."

I smirked at him. "You know, Rizzo's not that bad."

"Rizzo?" my mother asked.

"Mike Eruzione," I replied. "Or there's always OC; he's babysitting Heidi tonight."

"OC?" Mom's voice was getting high-pitched.

"Jack O'Callahan," Robbie told her.

"Is he Irish?" Mom was starting to squeak.

"Yep, and he's gorgeous."

"An Irishman or an Italian?" Mom squeaked out. "Elizabeth, grow up."

A/N: Okay, so let me know if you think this story should commit suicide or if I should continue it. Please review.


	4. Chapter Four

A/N: Okay, I don't own _Miracle_ and the only characters I own are Ellie, Heidi, Kathie, Natalie, Jennie, and Mr. and Mrs. McClanahan. I really appreciate all the reviews I got. Clicking the little purple button really makes my day.

**Emador:** I wasn't going to commit suicide; the story was. I'm glad you love the story.

**Maye:** I'm Italian, Irish, and Catholic, so I really don't like Mrs. McClanahan, but that's the way a lot of people from her generation are. Like until the late 1950s, most country clubs (and places like that) banned Irish people from membership.

**Katie:** I'm glad you like it. I'll keep it up.

**Darkdestiny2000:** I'm so glad you like it. That was a fun bit to write.

**Beautyqueen321:** I want things to move slowly even though most stories I write have the people move quickly. This time, these characters need to ease into this relationship.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** yes, ma'am!

**Meadow567: **Yeah, that sounds weird, but it's okay. I've never seen _White Oleander_ but I'll take your word for it. I'm actually thinking about having Ellie adopt Heidi. I'm glad you don't think Ellie's a Mary Sue. At first I thought she was going to be, but it kind of seems like I can avoid that route.

**Klinoa:** The whole idea of this story was my little sister's idea. I was going to write a story about OC and Mac's sister, but I was stuck as far as a plot. My younger sister was watching the movie and she saw the Christmas scene where OC gets a cigar… So, a huge thanks goes out to my amazing sister, Charlotte.

**OC's POV**

The Tuesday after my babysitting adventure, Mac walked into the locker room and said, "My mother is absolutely nuts. This time she has lost it for real. I simply cannot believe that she would do this."

"What did Madame Psychosis do now?" Jannie asked.

"You know how she didn't want me to be on the team? Well, now she wants to have the entire team over for dinner so she can get to know all of you."

"You did tell her that Rizzo's Italian and that OC and Jimmy are Irish?" Buzzy asked.

"What's wrong with that?" Rizzo asked. "Aren't I allowed to be Italian?"

"My mom hates the Italians and the Irish," Mac said softly. "She hates everyone who isn't like her. She's pigheaded."

"Hey, Mac," I said. "Just remember, I don't hold it against you or Ellie. I know you're both decent people who don't think like that."

"Of course they don't," Buzzy said. "They were raised by their Italian cook and the Irish governess. Between Maria and Fiona, they have no reason to hate Rizzo, Jimmy, or OC; they do, however, have a reason to hate their own mother."

"What?" Dave Christian asked. "Why would they hate their own mother?"

"Have you ever met Mrs. McClanahan?" Jannie asked. "That woman drinks, smokes, plays cards, and plans parties. Raising five children wasn't in her plan for her life, so she's spent the past twenty-two years shoving her children off on governesses."

"Just wait till you meet her," Mac said. "You won't understand her until you meet her." He sighed, and then he continued. "You guys are all invited for dinner at my parents' house on Saturday at seven."

"Will Ellie and Heidi be there?" I asked, trying to hide my eagerness.

Mac smiled at me. "Yes."

I tried to hide it, but I couldn't. I just had to smile.

Ellie's POV 

Saturday night, I drove Heidi, Rob, Rizzo, and OC to my parents' house. Rob sat up front with me and OC and Rizzo sat with Heidi in the backseat. As I pulled into the driveway, Robbie looked at me. "Ellie, ignore her. No matter what she says about you, don't listen to her. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you're worth ten of her. You can dance, you can skate, you can play piano, and your math and science skills blow me away. Ellie, you're so much more than she'll ever let on. You're a princess no matter what she says. Don't listen to her."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Robbie."

"You're welcome. And just remember, princess, I mean every word of it."

I turned off the car. "All right, let's go in there."

I think Rizzo and OC almost died of shock when my mother's maid, Evelyn, opened the door. I heard OC whisper, "Mac, you have a maid? Geez, your parents must be loaded."

I smiled. "Hey, Evelyn, where's Her Majesty?"

"Putting on her make-up in her room," the shy, young maid replied. "Should I tell her you're here, Miss Elizabeth?"

I shook my head. "No, is my father here?"

"He's in his office. Jennie and Natalie are in the living room, but Kathie's upstairs with Mrs. McClanahan."

"We'll go see Jennie and Natalie," I told her.

"All right," she said, scared. "As you wish, Miss Elizabeth. Master Robert, it's so nice to see you again."

Rob smiled. "Good to see you, too; Evelyn, these are my friends, Mike Eruzione and Jack O'Callahan."

She nodded to them. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Eruzione, Mr. O'Callahan. Please come in."

"Thank you," they both responded quickly.

I think being called Mister blew them away. Robbie and I led them into the living room where Jennie and Natalie were waiting. "Ellie!" Jennie screamed as I walked in. Jennie is the blonde version of me; it's a little disturbing, but quite entertaining. "You brought Heidi," she added, stroking the baby's cheek. "Hey, cutie."

"Jennie," Rob said. "I want you to meet my friends, Jack O'Callahan and Mike Eruzione. OC, Rizzo, these are my sisters, Jennie and Natalie."

Jennie smiled at both of them. "It's nice to meet you."

Just then the doorbell rang again.

Kathie McClanahan's POV 

Mother looked at me. "Well, I guess Robert and Elizabeth are here with their friends. Just remember that Jim Craig and Jack O'Callahan are Irish and Mike Eruzione is Italian."

I kept brushing my hair as she talked. Mother said that Irish and Italian people are below our social level. "Mother, will they know how to behave at dinner?"

"Probably not, Kathleen darling, don't even expect them to be dressed properly unless Robert told them what to do. Now let's go downstairs."

When we walked into the living room, the entire team was there with Jennie, Natalie, Ellie, and Heidi. All the guys were wearing suits and ties. Robbie was standing with Ellie, Steve Janaszak, Buzz Schneider, and four guys I didn't know. One of them was holding Ellie; he had blue eyes and brown hair. Ellie was wearing what Jennie calls her _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ dress and her hair was hanging loose. Mother led me over to Robert and Elizabeth. "Hello, darlings," Mother said, kissing Elizabeth's cheek. "It's lovely to see you, Steven and William. Robert, who are these gentlemen?"

"This is Dave Silk," he said, pointing to the guy standing between Buzz and the guy holding Heidi.

He smiled at us. "It's nice to meet you."

"Where are you from?" I asked him.

"Boston," he replied.

"Are you Irish?" I asked.

Ellie glared at me as Dave looked at her. "No, he isn't Irish," the guy standing between Ellie and the guy holding Heidi, said. "Silk isn't an Irish name."

"And this is Mark Johnson," Rob said, motioning to the guy who defended Dave Silk.

"I'm from Madison, Wisconsin, and no, I'm not Irish," Mark Johnson said, glaring at me.

"And this is Jack O'Callahan," Rob said, pointing to the guy holding Heidi.

Mother's eyes went wide when she saw him. He was tall with brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a nice, clean black suit with a white dress shirt and a navy blue tie. But more than that, he was nothing like what Mom always said Irish people were like. He was clean, he smelled fine, he didn't have red hair or freckles, and his clothes weren't patched. "Where'd you go to school?" Mother asked him.

"Boston University," he replied.

"I suppose they must have nice work-study packages there for janitors who can play hockey," she said sharply. I smiled; that ought to put him in his place.

"I'd imagine they do, but I didn't need one," he replied. "My parents could afford to send me there if I hadn't been able to get a scholarship. Mrs. McClanahan, my family isn't poor. I'm glad I got a scholarship because it means Ma and Dad have more money to pay for James and Annie's college."

Mother stared at him. "But you must have grown up in a small apartment in Boston?"

"No, we live in a house in Charleston, Mass. Ma, Dad, James, and Annie still live there. Now that I'm out of there, James has his own room but we never had to share a room with our parents or Annie."

Mother was shocked. He was completely destroying everything she'd ever thought about Irish people. She just stared at him until she realized she hadn't met the other guy in the group. "Robert, who is your other little friend?"

"This is Mike Eruzione," Rob said. "He's from Boston, Kath, and he went to Boston University. He went to Boston University with OC and Silky."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. McClanahan," Mike Eruzione said with as smile. "It was very kind of you to invite us all over for dinner."

Mother looked at him. She'd always told me that Italians were snooty, self-absorbed fat people. Mike wasn't fat or self-absorbed; he was handsome and sweet. Mother gasped. "Oh, you're welcome. I hear so much about the team from Robert and Elizabeth that I just had to meet all of you. Robert, come introduce me to the rest of your friends."

Ellie's POV 

I looked at Jack who smiled at me. "I think she's the only person I know who calls him Robert," I whispered. "I call him Rob or Robbie and the guys all call him Mac. He just isn't a Robert. And I absolutely abhor being called Elizabeth."

"You're Ellie to me," he replied, wrapping his free arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry about your mother. I'm not going to let her get to me. I've heard all kinds of insults to Irish people; I'm used to it. It's like Rob told you earlier; don't let her get to you. I heard him and I'm not going to let her get to me."

Silky nodded. "Relax, Ellie, OC's right. Just ignore her."

"To change the subject," Jack said. "I want to see pictures of you when you were a beauty queen."

I shook my head. "Oh no! No you don't!"

"Yes, we do. Mac says that you were a beautiful and graceful princess," Rizzo inserted.

"Please?" Silky begged. "We just want to know if you were as beautiful then as you are now."

I blushed as OC added, "That might be hard because you're absolutely gorgeous now."

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Mr. O'Callahan," I replied with a teasing smile. "If you want to see those pictures, you're going to have to try a little harder than that."

"I'll name my first-born daughter Elizabeth," he replied.

"That's sweet, but no," I told him. "Try harder."

"Please?" Rizzo begged. "We aren't any good at bargaining. We can only beg pitifully."

"We'd also like to take this opportunity to remind you that you're the most beautiful woman we know," Silky added.

Mark nodded. "We won't make fun of you," he promised.

Jack made a puppy face and I caved in. "Fine, I'll show you. Go sit on the couch and I'll bring the photo album to you."

Impetuously, Jack kissed my cheek. "You're the best."

I shook my head and went to get the photo album labeled "Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, Miss Teen Minnesota 1973." I brought it back and sat down on the couch between Rizzo and Jack. "Now, no one is allowed to make fun of this," I said before I opened the book. "My mother forced me into this."

I opened the book up to the first page. "Whoa," Mark breathed, as he looked at the pictures of me in the preliminary contests. "How old were you during all of this?"

"I was fifteen when I started out and sixteen when I won the crown."

"Do you still have the crown?" Bob Suter asked as he came over to join us.

"I think so; it's probably up in my old bedroom or something. I'm not sure what I happened to it. I think my crown and my sash and the rest of that junk are up there upstairs."

"Why'd you quit all of this?" Rizzo asked.

"It's just not me; this was what my mother wanted, not what I wanted," I told them. "I hate being someone's Barbie doll."

"You aren't a Barbie," OC told me.

"No, you aren't," Rizzo agreed. "You're a beautiful young lady with lots of talents who gives really good massages after a hard day of Herbies.

OC smiled. "You're great at working the knots out of my back."

"Well, it's my job to keep you in tip-top shape, so why not? Besides, it's actually fun to sit on your back and work all those knots out of your back. I get to talk to you guys, find out what's going on in your lives." I smiled at them. "You guys remind me that there's a world beyond the rinks, the ballet studio, and my apartment. My entire world is my three jobs and Heidi."

"What about dates?" Suter asked.

"I don't have time. I'd need a sitter for Heidi and I'd need a guy to ask me out."

"Some of the guys think that the real reason you aren't dating anyone is because you're waiting for OC to ask you out," Pavelich said as he came over to us.

I smiled. "Why would I do that?"

OC looked up from the album he'd taken away from me. "The guys think I'm always playing Daddy to Heidi, so they think that if I'm going to play Daddy to Heidi, I should play husband to you."

"Aren't they silly?"

He looked me in the eyes and smiled. "They are. For one thing, Heidi isn't going to be with you forever; someday Julie will come back and take her away from you."

"No she won't," I whispered. "She'll never do that."

"What?"

"I'll explain it to you later." Then we went back to looking at the photo album.

After dinner, my sisters took Heidi from me and Jack and I went outside to talk. He sat down next to me on the back porch. "So, what did you mean when you said that you'd never let Julie take Heidi away from you?"

"I'm going to take legal action to make sure that Julie can never take Heidi away from me," I told him as I rubbed my arms.

"You cold?" he asked, taking off his suit jacket.

I nodded and took it from him. "Thanks," I whispered as I put on his jacket.

"No problem. Now, what are you going to do about protecting Heidi from Julie?"

"I'm going to adopt her."

He gasped. "Really?"

I nodded. "She needs a mom and I can be a mother for her."

"Will the courts let a single woman adopt?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. If they want me to be a married woman before I adopt her, I'll find a way to work things out."

"Like what?"

"Maybe I'll force you to marry me," I teased.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders for the second time that evening. "You'll find a way to work everything out."

"Even if it means marrying you?"

"Sure," he replied. "Just don't invite your mother to the wedding. I don't think she likes me."

"Oh, well, I think my dad liked you."

"That's good. It means you won't get cut out of the will."

I laughed and leaned against him. "But hopefully, we won't have to deal with all of that just to adopt Heidi."

"I hope not. Getting married just for Heidi's sake would be pretty unstable."

"After all, we barely know each other."

"Maybe someday," he whispered.

"We'll talk about that after the Olympics."

"You promise?" Jack asked.

"I promise," I replied with as smile.

A/N: I hope you liked it and please review. But more importantly (if you can believe it) is I'm looking for a beta, so if you're interested and have time, email me. Also, be warned I'm really sick, so I may update really soon just because I have a lot of spare time on my hands and I can't go to school tomorrow.


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: Still not owning _Miracle_, the DVD still belongs to my brother.

**Emador:** Yeah, I have a beta! I have so much fun writing the mom.

**Meadow567:** They're Scottish, not Irish. McClanahan means "from or of Clanahan." I learned that in seventh grade math class. But anyway…yeah, Mrs. McClanahan wants Kathie to be like her little puppet or whatever. Well, I'm thinking about having Kathie develop a massive crush on Rizzo.

**Klinoa:** Yeah, Mrs. McClanahan is going to be the antagonist to an Ellie/OC relationship. Yeah, Robbie and Ellie are products of two things: their dad and their nanny. You'll meet both of them soon. I wanted Johnson to stand up to Kathie because he's quiet, but he seems like a really strong person.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Everyone loves the way they tore down Mrs. McClanahan's arguments. I'm happy about her adopting Heidi too. And maybe Jack will adopt her someday… Who knows?

**Misha: **Yet another person who hates Mrs. McClanahan, but she's going to cause trouble for a long time. Yeah, Ellie and Jack are going to start moving towards a romance very soon.

**StarrShyne:** Hey, I love your new story. I'm actually already working on chapter six.

Mac's POV 

"You know, OC, I'm not going to stop you if you ask Ellie out," I told him after practice one day. It had been a week since the dinner at my parents' house and I was starting to detect a real chemistry between Ellie and OC. "I've seen the way you look at her."

OC smiled. "Are you serious? I really can ask your sister out and you won't kill me?" He sounded suspicious.

"Yeah, sure, you're good for her," I explained. "When she's with you, she smiles more. She needs someone to brighten up her life and you seem to do that. OC, just ask her out. What can it hurt?"

"Okay," he was still a little reluctant. "I guess I could take Ellie and Heidi out for dinner some evening this week."

"Nope, I'm babysitting Heidi," Rizzo announced. "Just tell me when and where and I'll be there."

"Oh no you don't," I told him. "Jennie wants to do some babysitting, so Ellie's going to let her take Heidi the next time she needs a sitter."

"Fine, be that way," Rizzo replied. "Don't let me baby-sit."

"I like my sister more," I told him.

"I don't know why," Rizzo said. "I'm prettier."

Everyone started laughing.

OC's POV 

We were all laughing when Ellie knocked on the door. "Everybody decent?" she yelled.

"Define decent," Coxie yelled back.

"Put your pants on, Ralph," was her reply.

We all laughed as Coxie put his pants on and then Mac yelled, "We're decent!"

She walked in without Heidi. The absence of the baby was noticeable especially since she'd had Heidi during practice. Finally, Jimmy spoke up. "Where's the kid?"

"Doc's playing with her; he likes to play Grandpa every now and then."

"Oh, how cute," Mac sighed.

"Shut up, Robert," Ellie told her brother. "All right," she said to the rest of us. "Who needs a massage? I'm only doing five and it's first come, first serve."

"Me first!" Coxie yelled. He was little bit of a ladies' man and sometimes it seemed like he just wanted to get into Ellie's pants.

"OC wants one!" Pav yelled.

"Shut up," I muttered.

"OC needs to talk to you!" Suter yelled.

"Shut up," I muttered again. Apparently, I was being ignored.

"Just ask her," Rizzo told me quietly. "Or I'll do it for you and you won't like that."

"Fine, I'll talk to her," I replied. Then I spoke up. "Ellie, do you want to have dinner with me Friday night?"

"Jennie said she'd baby-sit!" Mac yelled.

Ellie blushed and hid her face in the nearest thing-Rizzo's chest. He awkwardly wrapped his arm around her and smiled. "Just answer the man, Ellie. He deserves an answer."

She whispered something, but Rizzo was the only one who heard her. "Speak up," Coxie yelled. "We all want to hear the answer."

"No," Rizzo said firmly. "Jack's the only one who needs to the hear the answer." He gently peeled Ellie off his chest and led her over to me. "You kids go outside and have your talk."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders; that was getting to be a familiar position these days. Then we went out into the hallway. As soon as we were out there, she smiled. "Yes," she whispered again. This time, though, it was into my chest and I was the only one who heard her.

"Then Friday night it is," I told her. "Mac said he'd get Jennie to baby-sit Heidi, so you and I can have a night out that's just the two of us."

She smiled that glamorous movie star smile up at me and I smiled back at her. Then I hugged her. "What does Robbie think of this?" she asked me abruptly. "What does he think of us?"

"He's okay with it, with us," I told her. "It was his idea for me to ask you out."

"What? Robbie actually told a guy he could ask me out? He's tried to kill every guy I've ever gone out with."

"He likes me," I told her. It was the truth, but it was more than that. Mac had once told me that ever since the day I beat him up at practice, he'd known he could trust me with his sister. _You'll protect her from anything because once you get attached to something you'll do anything to fight for it_, he told me. _You'll fight to the death to defend someone you love._

She smiled. "He must if he told you to ask me out. Although, I must say he has good taste."

"I have better taste," I told her. "So, Friday night, I'll pick you up at six."

"I'll try to remember to be at my apartment."

"You'd better be because I'm cooking up a surprise for you."

"You?" she gasped. "Cooking? I'm scared."

"I don't get any respect from the ladies." I rolled my eyes. "Maybe I'll go ask Heidi if she wants to go out with me instead."

She leaned against me. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh yes I would," I replied with a smile. "Although you're more talkative, so I might have to go with you."

She smiled sweetly. "That's a smart boy. Heidi may be cuter than me but I'm a heck of a lot more fun."

I smiled. "Well, we'll see about that."

Ellie's POV 

Jack and I went to get Heidi from Doc. Doc and Craig Patrick were standing outside Herb's office, but Craig was holding Heidi now. He was tickling her and she just kept smiling. Jack laughed. "She's three and a half months old and she's already manipulating men to her will."

"No, no," Doc said. "This was our idea."

"Sure, sure, sure," I told him. "Just give me back the baby and no one gets hurt."

"But we're having fun," Craig protested. "She's such a sweet baby."

"But she's my baby," I said. "And I want my baby back."

"Fine," Craig said. "Here you go."

I took Heidi in my arms and held her close. "Thank you. Jack, would you like to walk me to my car?"

"With pleasure," he replied.

As we walked out to my car, I was so happy. Jack O'Callahan had asked me out, finally. I'd liked him since I first laid eyes on him even though I knew Rob would object. Jack was a sweetheart under that tough guy exterior. Jack and I had started spending time around each other and we just seemed to click together. He also adored Heidi and was a great surrogate father to her.

"So, what should I wear on Friday night?" I asked him as we walked.

"Something casual," he replied. "We're not going anywhere fancy."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm not telling."

"Please, Jack?" I begged pitifully.

"Nope, it's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

Jack wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Darling, you're going to have to learn that surprises can be fun especially when I'm around. My surprises will always be good ones."

I smiled up at him as we reached my car. "I'll keep that in mind."

I was putting Heidi in her carseat when Jack spoke up. "I just remembered something. I was talking to my mom last week and she said she'd be willing to send you Annie's old baby clothes for Heidi if you're interested."

I stood up so fast I hit my head on the car. "Damn it!" I muttered, clutching the back of my head. "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Do you want some ice for your head?"

"Yeah, that'd be good; it hurts like the devil."

"Will it feel better if I kiss it?"

I smiled. "You can try it."

He moved my hand and kissed the top of my head. "Now, I'll go get you some ice for that head of yours and see if Rob can drive you home. You're not driving until we know if you have a concussion or not."

"Yes, Daddy." I realized as I said this that I was shaking.

Jack must have noticed this too because he took Heidi out of her carseat and wrapped his arm around me. "Come on, sweetie," he said. "Let's get you inside."

I leaned against him and let him support me as we went inside. "Doc!" Jack started yelling as soon as we were inside the doors of the arena. "Doc, come here! Ellie hit her head."

At the sound of those words, Robbie and Rizzo came running. "What happened?" Robbie asked as he saw me leaning against Jack.

"She was putting Heidi in her carseat and I said something to her. She stood up really fast and hit her head on the car roof," Jack explained as he handed Heidi off to Rizzo. "I brought her in to get ice for her head, and she's shaking like mad."

Robbie nodded. "Doc's in Herb's office. Rizzo, watch Heidi. OC, let's get Ellie to Doc."

OC picked me up like I was Heidi's age and followed Robbie to Herb's office. Robbie knocked on the door. "Herb," he yelled. "We need to see Doc. Ellie hit her head on the car."

Doc Nagobads came out of Herb's office and rushed to OC. His first question was "Where did she hit her head?" This was closely followed by "How did she hit her head?"

"She was putting Heidi in her carseat and I was talking to her," Jack answered. "I said something that shocked her and she stood up really fast. Then she hit the back of her head on the car roof."

As Jack explained everything to Doc, my thoughts were about how comfortable it was to have him hold me like this. His arms were strong and he was warm; he smelled clean, too. He had that nice masculine just showered smell. I leaned closer to him and he held me tight. I could spend the rest of my life with a guy like this.

"Ellie," Doc said when Jack was done talking. "Ellie, I need you to follow my finger with your eyes." I did so. He nodded. "Ellie, recite the alphabet for me."

"A-B-C-D-E-G-no, wait, F-G-H-I…" I didn't make any more slip-ups like the thing with F and G. Now, I'm a physical therapist, so I've had some training in stuff like this and I knew that was bad. If you mess up the alphabet, they have to check more stuff and eventually, you probably end up in the hospital.

"Now, let me look at your head," Doc instructed.

I lifted up my head and he began examining it. He was probing and poking around the back of my head. He was grunting as he went. "Is she going to be all right?" Robbie asked.

"I think so," Doc answered in his thickly accented voice. "She may have a concussion, but nothing else. In case there is a concussion, you will want to keep her awake for the next twelve hours to prevent bleeding in the brain."

"So, like OC and I should go over to her apartment and keep her awake?" Robbie asked.

"That would be a good idea," Doc replied. "But you don't want too many people around. That would not be good."

"It'll just be OC and me; we might let Rizzo come over, but that would be it."

"Okay, Robbie," Doc told him. "You take good care of your sister."

Rob's POV 

OC and I took Ellie back to the lobby where Rizzo was talking to Heidi. "Aren't you just the cutest little thing in the world?" He was using that "cute little baby" voice with her and she was just smiling at him.

"Rizzo!" I called to him. "We're going to keep Ellie company tonight. Doc said she might have a concussion, so we need to keep her awake tonight. We're going to watch TV, talk to my gorgeous sister, and eat all her food."

"And we're going to take care of Heidi," Ellie added from her perch in OC's arms. I wasn't exactly comfortable with her in that position, but she'd hurt her head and she needed to stay off her feet. Plus, she was with OC and he made her happy. I wasn't sure why, but my old archenemy was made my sister happy. They were cute together and he adored Heidi.

"Sounds like a fun party," Rizzo replied. "Am I invited?"

"Yep," Ellie told him. "We need a babysitter in case these two lose their heads."

Rizzo laughed as OC said, "I fully intend to keep my head firmly attached to my neck. Girls like Ellie don't like guys who let their heads fly off at a moment's notice."

"That's for sure," Ellie replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.

I shook my head. "Well, I'll drive if Ellie will give me her keys. Let's get going."

We spent the entire night in Ellie's living room. Rizzo made spaghetti and meatballs with Ellie's help while OC and I played with Heidi. "Did you know your sister's talking about adopting Heidi?" OC asked me as he ticked the baby's feet.

I nodded. "She's talked to me about it a little. She also talked to our dad some. He's a lawyer and he knows what she needs to do. Apparently, she has to sue Julie for custody or something like that first. Then she has to prove that she can provide a better home for Heidi than Julie can. It could be a long and tedious process, but Dad has a friend who will try to speed it up."

"How? They won't do anything illegal, will they?"

"No, at least, I don't think they will. The judge who will probably hear the case is Julie's uncle and he knows his niece very well. He's already told Dad that proving that Ellie is a better mother than Julie is won't be very difficult."

"I've never met the woman and I don't think she's a good mother. What kind of mother abandons her baby? What kind of mother keeps living with an alcoholic even when it puts her daughter's safety at risk?" OC was still playing with Heidi, but his attention was focused on our conversation.

"I don't know," I told him. "What kind of mother leaves her children to be raised by her cook and their governess because they interfere with her social life? What kind of mother forces her daughters into beauty pageants and drinks herself under the table the night her oldest daughter is crowned Miss Teen Minnesota?"

"That's what your mother was like?"

"That's what our mother still is like," Ellie said as she walked into the room. "She still drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney. I broke my leg when I tripped over one of her empty vodka bottles and fell down the stairs shortly before the Miss Teen America pageant. You know who took me to the hospital?"

"It wasn't Mother," I said. "She was too drunk. The only kid she's ever really sober around is Kathie. Mom has this insane desire to please Kathie, which is really funny because Kathie has this insane desire to please Mom."

"Who did take Ellie to the hospital?" OC asked.

"Our governess, Fiona," I told him. "Fiona and our cook, Maria, pretty much raised us."

"Mom was too busy smoking, drinking, and playing cards to even notice us," Ellie added. "Fiona was more my mother than my real mother ever was." (I was watching _The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood_ last weekend. That's where Mrs. McClanahan came from except the moms in that movie are actually nice people; they just smoke, play cards, and drink Bloody Marys by the gallon.)

"I'm amazed she had time to have five children," OC remarked.

"So am I," Ellie replied. "But Robbie and I are twins, so that helped speed things up. I think she scheduled in time with Daddy so they could have children like everyone else at the country club."

I smiled and OC shook his head. "You two have dirty minds."

Ellie shrugged. "Dirty mind, warm bed."

I smacked her. "Would you mind growing up?"

"Not at all."

**OC's POV**

The next morning, we were all worn out except for Heidi. She'd had a full night's sleep. We'd watched TV, played cards, talked, and inhaled coffee. Mercifully, Doc had persuaded Herb to give us all a day off. Ellie seemed to still be alive, so after breakfast, we all crashed. Ellie went to her bedroom, I got the couch, Robbie got the bed in Julie's old room, and Rizzo claimed the floor. It was Wednesday morning and I needed to start planning my date with Ellie. But that could wait until after I got some sleep.

A/N: Please review! The date will be the next chapter. Updates will become few and far between now because I'm directing a performance of _Oklahoma_ at my school for the next three months.


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: I don't own _Miracle_, but I do love it. 

**Megan: **I'm so glad you like it. I'll write more.

**Anmerie:** Thanks! I really appreciate comments like that.

**StarrShyne:** He's mine, all mine! You can't have him. Jealous muses are bad, so you want to keep them happy. Therefore, you are not allowed to kidnap OC.

**Vaughnloveralwaysandforev: **Oklahoma! It's a scandal! Thanks for wishing me luck. (It's a Scandal is my favorite song from Oklahoma.)

**Meadow567: **I'll start working on Kathie's massive crush soon. I'm glad this is in your favorites. Yeah, she hit her head on the roof like on a bunk bed. (It hurts. I've done it on both my bunk bed and my boyfriend's car all in one week.)

**Klinoa:** It was cute. I had fun writing it.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** That must have hurt like heck. You needed the boys to help you. When it happened to me, my boyfriend was there to help out, so it all worked out.

**DarkDestiny2000:** And I rudely made you wait three days. Oh well, I'm a bad little girl.

I know I promised the date would be in this chapter, but some stuff I wasn't planning on popped into my brain, so you'll have to wait until chapter seven for their date.

Ellie's POV 

I walked into my office at the rink on Thursday morning to find a note on my desk. "Friday night-6:00PM, I'll pick you up at your apartment. -OC" I already knew that, but I knew that this was how Jack was going to tell me what I needed to know about our date; he would leave me notes.

I smiled to myself as Rizzo walked in. "Hey, Ellie, what's going on?"

I handed him the card from Jack. "I know when Jack's picking me up tomorrow night. Actually, he told me that on Tuesday."

He smiled at me. "I know everything he's planning for your date tomorrow night." He looked me in the eye. "And I am not going to tell you what's going on. It's a surprise."

I stuck out my bottom lip. "Please?"

He took Heidi out of my arms and shook his head. "Not on your life, Miss McClanahan. Now, if you'll excuse me, Heidi and I are going to pay a visit to her daddy."

"Her daddy?" I was so confused.

"Bah started it and we all started doing it. We call OC Heidi's daddy or just plain Daddy. He just laughs it off, but we think he actually likes it. We call you her mommy too. Sometimes, we call you Mommy and Daddy."

I smiled. The guys were nuts, but it was really sweet and I told Rizzo so. He shrugged. "Well, Heidi and I need to go see her daddy."

"Have fun and get her back to me before practice starts," I called after him.

"Yes, Mother dearest," Rizzo yelled back as he left.

Herb walked in as Rizzo walked out. "You're trusting him with Heidi?" he asked as he sat down opposite me.

"Jack's in the locker room; he'll take care of her."

"You trust Jack O'Callahan with a baby?"

I smiled. "I know it's crazy, but yeah, he loves her so much. He's really good with her."

Herb smiled. "That's good." Then his tone became serious. "Listen, Ellie, your dad called me last night. He told me that you're going to try to get custody of Heidi."

I nodded. "It's not good for her to grow up wondering when Julie will come back."

"I guess you won't be coming to Europe with us?" Herb asked.

I shook my head. "I need to stay here with Heidi to take care of everything over here. I'd love to go with the team, but my life isn't going to let me. Heidi's my first responsibility."

"When did you grow up?" Herb said, shaking his head.

"When Heidi came into my life," I told him. "A baby needs an adult for a mother."

Herb nodded. "I'm proud of you and I know your dad is too. Ellie, you're turning into an amazing young woman. You've done a great job of growing up." He stood up to leave. "Just don't go falling in love with any of my boys without talking to Mac about it first. Don't do anything stupid, Ellie." Then he left.

I knew why he told me not to do anything stupid. He was remembering my relationship with Jannie. To the average observer, it was a perfect relationship-until Leslie came along. Herb knew all too well what had happened; he'd watched his team almost fall apart over everything.

Just before practice started, I went into the locker room to get Heidi back from the guys. Robbie was sitting on the bench in full gear holding Heidi and singing random Aerosmith songs to her. I walked over to him, shaking my head. "What are you doing to that poor, innocent child?"

"I'm educating her," he replied. "See everyone's always singing stuff like _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ to her, so I thought I'd introduce her to some real music."

"So you're doing imitations of Steven Tyler?"

"You'd rather I imitated Brian Wilson or John Lennon?"

"Could we avoid people who are high or have strange faces when you're singing to my little munchkin?"

"Steven Tyler is an awesome vocalist," Robbie protested.

"But his face is weird."

"Why do you two insist on arguing about every single detail in the world?" Dave Christian yelled.

"He's my twin brother," I replied calmly. "What else are we supposed to do together?"

"Umm, behave like rational human beings," Suter suggested.

"We're siblings," I protested. "We have to argue at least twice a week."

"Personally, I'm not happy unless we argue three times a week," Robbie interrupted. "But Ellie's fine with just two arguments a week."

I took Heidi from my brother and shook my head again. "You're crazy."

"It must be from spending nine months in the womb with you."

I smiled. "That would explain a lot of things, but I need to leave now."

It was only after I left the room that I realized that Jack hadn't been in the locker room.

Jack's POV 

I left the locker room while Ellie was arguing with Mac. I needed to leave her another note. This time I was leaving her a note on the door to her office. I know I suck at the creative romantic stuff, but I'm trying. Ellie's a great girl, especially considering that she's Mac's sister. I never guessed a guy like him would have a sister like her.

As I opened the door to Ellie's office, I saw a huge bouquet of roses sitting on her desk. "What the fuck?" I muttered. Who was sending Ellie roses?

I walked over to her desk and set down my note for her. There were a dozen red roses in a vase; I knew that was really romantic. There was a card on a stick. "To the most beautiful and wonderful girl in the world with all my love-Todd." I flipped the card over and read, "Baby, I love you and I want you back."

"Not in a million years," I muttered.

"Not in a million years what?" someone said from behind me.

I turned around and saw Ellie holding Heidi. "Are the roses for me?"

I nodded. "But they're not from me."

"Who are they from?"

I handed her the card. I wanted to kill Todd as I saw her face contort into a frown and she crumpled the note up. "You okay, Ellie?"

"That jackass!"

"Hey, no swearing in front of the baby," I told her.

She smiled. "I forgot. Heidi, don't repeat anything you ever hear your Aunt Ellie say." Ellie looked at me. "I got your note."

"And?"

"You already told me that," she replied. "Now go practice, Boston Boy."

"Yes, Mother." I knew my next note was on her desk and that she'd find it at some point today.

Coach skated us long and hard that day. By the time we reached the locker room, not one of us could feel his legs. Ellie was waiting for us. "Hit the showers and then I'll start massages. Robbie, no back rubs for you; I refuse to touch my brother like that."

He smiled. "Don't worry; I'll go find some random girl on the streets to rub me."

"Eww! Gross mental images!" Ellie yelled. "Stop it, or I'll tell Mommy."

"Yeah, right, you hate talking to Mother. OC, shut my sister up, would you?"

"Sorry, I have to behave so I'll get my back rub," I told him with a mischievous smile. "Besides, if I shut her up, you'll try to beat me up and I don't want to have to hurt you. You're kind of a nice guy, and I like your sister."

"She is pretty," Mark Johnson mentioned casually. "You know, the dark hair and eyes."

"And she has a perfect smile," Pav added.

Ellie blushed and smiled shyly. "You're not that bad looking either, Mark and Mark."

"Really?" Pav asked.

She hugged him. "Yeah, I like curly hair on guys. That's why I couldn't stand Jannie; his hair is too straight for my taste."

"Hey, I heard that!" Jannie yelled at her. "I thought you liked my hair."

She shrugged. "It's okay, but I like Pav's better."

"What about mine?" I asked her.

"I like it," she replied casually. "It's better than Jannie's, but I'm not sure if it's better than Pav's or not."

"When will you decide?"

"When I feel like it," she replied.

"And when will that be?"

She shrugged. "I'll let you know when I decide; it'll be before you leave for Norway."

I smiled at her and she grinned back. Then I headed off to the showers.

After my shower, I went back to the locker room to find Ellie giving Johnson a massage while Heidi was sleeping in her carseat. "Does Coxie creep you out?" Johnson said as I came in.

"Not really," Ellie said. "I think he's harmless. He's really flirtatious and he comes on a little strong, but I think he's really just a nice guy underneath all that gregariousness."

I wasn't about to tell her that her brother did not agree with that statement. Sure, Ralph was a nice guy who was flirtatious and came on a little strong, but he wasn't harmless as far as Mac was concerned. He was the most overprotective brother I'd ever met and if he didn't like a guy, the guy had better stay away from Ellie. I firmly intended to stay on his good side as long as I was involved with his sister.

Ellie looked at me. "You want to go next?"

I shrugged. "Anyone in line ahead of me?"

"Not yet, Pav wants one, but he's not out of the shower yet, so you can get ready."

"Get ready?"

"Take off your shirt and get comfortable."

"Was she this blunt with you, Mark?" I asked my teammate.

He shook his head. "She goes easy on guys from Wisconsin; she's just rough with Boston Boys."

She smiled at me. "I like to get right to the point with you, Jackie-boy. Now, get comfortable because I have a feeling I'm going to have some work to do on you."

"Sit down or lay down?" I asked her, raising my eyebrows suggestively.

She shrugged. "Lie down, I guess. It'll let me do more work on your lower back."

I followed her orders and waited for her to finish up her work on Mark's back. "Hey, Ellie," he said. "Where did you get such good fingers for this kind of thing? You're probing every little space perfectly and working out every little sore spot."

"It's a combination of years of taking care of Rob's back after practice and playing piano since I was five years old," she replied. "Let me tell you that'll make your fingers lithe and nimble in a heartbeat."

"See something good came out of all those years of piano lessons," Mac said as he walked in with a towel around his neck.

Ellie smiled at her brother. "That's not the only thing I got out of it. I can teach piano after I get too old for physical therapy. Plus, I can play Pachabel's Canon in D to perfection from memory."

I smiled at her. "Are you almost done over there?"

"Yep." She slapped Johnson on the back and stood up. "All right, O'Callahan, let's see what we can do for you."

She sat down on my back and began rubbing my neck. "You've got a lot of tension in your neck, little boy."

"It's from all that skating I do every day."

"Drink more water," she said. "It breaks up the calcium build-up in your back and that's what creates knots."

"Yes, ma'am."

She kept working in silence for a while until Heidi woke up and started crying. "Crap, there goes your massage, Jack."

"I'll get her," Rizzo offered. "Is her bottle in the diaper bag?"

"Yep, it's in one of the side pockets," Ellie told him as she worked her fingers deep into my neck. Let me tell you it felt amazing. If massages were a reason to get married, I would have been down on one knee with a diamond ring then and there.

Ellie's POV 

After I was done giving massages, I took Heidi and went to my office. Per my request, Craig Patrick had thrown out the flowers from Todd. There was a small piece of notepaper sitting on my desk next to my purse. I picked it up.

Brush your hair and wear comfortable clothes; jeans are probably a good idea. Sensible shoes are a really good idea. You might want your skates too. I'm going to knock you off your feet. Tell your sister we'll be home by eleven, midnight at the latest. –Jack

I smiled. He was a sweetie, but at the same time, he was a tough, bad boy. Both the sweetheart aspect and the bad boy attracted me. I picked up Heidi's carseat and smiled at her. Rizzo fed her and sang to her (rather off-key) and she fell back asleep. She was so adorable; she made me want a baby of my own. Well, someday, right now, I had to take care of Heidi.

I was walking to my car when I saw a man sitting on the hood of my car. It wasn't Robbie or Jack; it had to be Todd. I was about to go back inside and find one of the guys when he ran over to me. "Ellie, baby, come here," he slurred as he reached me.

Great, he was drunk again. This was just what I needed. "Go away, Todd," I told him as he touched me.

"You know you want me," he slurred as he grabbed at my chest.

I shoved him with my free hand. "Get the hell away from me!" I yelled. He kept pawing at me. "Stop touching me!"

"You know you want me," he repeated. "You know you dream about me."

"You pervert!" Suddenly, lightening hit my brain and I had an epiphany. "Help!" I screamed. "Robbie! Rizzo! Jack!" I kept screaming the boys' names as I started running and Todd chased me.

Mercifully, the boys hadn't left yet and the boys started running out of the arena. Jack, Robbie, and Rizzo were first, followed by Silky, Pav, and some of the other guys. Rizzo grabbed me as Jack, Robbie, and the rest of the boys grabbed Todd. Robbie tackled him to the ground and started pummeling him. I fell sobbing into Rizzo's arms and Silky took the carseat from me. I clung to Rizzo with all my strength and he held onto me just as tightly. "It's all right, Ellie," he whispered. "I've got you. He won't hurt you anymore. Shh, it's all right. Don't cry."

I looked over his shoulder and saw Jack holding Robbie back to keep him from smashing the life out of Todd. "He's a piece of crap, Mac. He's not worth you getting sent to jail. Your sister needs you; she doesn't need you to kill some drunk."

Heidi had woken up and was crying. Pav was holding her, trying to calm her down. The whole group of us was just one big mess of bedlam. I was having a nervous breakdown in Rizzo's arms, Jack was trying to keep Robbie from killing Todd, and Heidi was screaming her lungs out while five desperate hockey players tried to calm her down.

Robbie looked at Todd. "Stay away from my sister, you creep. If you come near her ever again, we'll all hunt you down and kill you, got it?"

Todd nodded slowly as he stood up.

"Now get out of here," Silky told him. "And never come back."

Todd ran away into the darkness. Robbie walked over to me. "Are you all right, Ellie? Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head and clung to Rizzo. "Do you want to go home?" Rizzo asked me.

I nodded. "Can you drive me?" I whispered.

"One of us will," Robbie told me. "Come here, Ellie."

I let go of Rizzo and went to my brother. He pulled me close to his chest and hugged me. "I'm just glad you're all right," he whispered. "You're my favorite twin and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. You're my princess."

I smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Will you be all right?" Jack asked me.

"Yeah," I whispered. "And don't you go thinking you're going to get out of our date tomorrow night just because of this. I'm still expecting you to pick me up at six tomorrow."

He nodded. "I'll be there."

I smiled and replied, "Good."

"You want me to drive you home?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you need us to stay over tonight?" Rizzo asked gently.

"It would be nice to know that there's someone there in case something bad happens."

"Do you want me to stay with you?" my brother asked.

"Uh-huh." Nothing against Jack, Rizzo, or any of the other guys, but I needed my big brother.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Rizzo told me as he hugged me.

Pav put Heidi in her carseat and gave her back to me. "You stay safe."

Silky hugged me. "Stay out of trouble, Ellie. That means stay away from OC."

Jack glared at Silky and I laughed. "Oh, I think I'll be okay with Jack; he knows how to behave when he's in public."

Jack hugged me. "I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep tight and behave. I need you alive tomorrow night."

I smiled at him. "I'll be there."

When we reached my apartment, Robbie hugged me. "You go lay down and I'll make you some dinner. I'll also put Heidi in her crib; you just rest and take off her shoes."

I smiled at him. "You're the best brother ever, Robbie."

"I try."

"Well, you're doing a pretty good job."

"And you're doing a great job with Heidi. Ellie, you're really strong, putting up with everything that's happened the past few weeks. I'm proud of you; I'm sure the courts will let you adopt Heidi. You're just wonderful with her."

"Thanks," I told him as I hugged him. "I hope you're right."

"Oh, I know I am. Don't worry. The judge knows that Julie is incapable of being a good mother."

A/N: Okay, please review. The date really will be in the next chapter. I'm thinking about bringing Julie into the custody case, but I may just have the whole thing go through with no trouble and leave all the troublemaking to Mrs. McClanahan. (I'm leaning towards the second idea right now.) But let me know what you guys think.


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N: Miraclenot mine, but I love my reviewers.

**Emador:** I still love you. I'm really glad you like this story. See the email I sent you. You're the best.

**Misha:** Protective guys are the bomb. I agree with you; I probably will leave Julie out of it and just let "The Mother from Hell" cause the trouble.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** That's vote number two in favor of Mrs. McClanahan causing all the trouble. Well, since that's her area of expertise, I'll let her at it.

**Bookgoddess:** Thanks for reviewing. I really appreciated it.

**Vaughnloveralwaysandforev:** That's vote number three for option two.

**Klinoa:** Well, you're the first vote for option number one. We'll see what happens there. Yeah, Todd will be back; I might bring him back while the guys are in Norway, but that might be taking things too far because who would help Ellie? I'll think about it; ask my sister when she's asleep. (That's how I make important decisions; I ask my sister while she's sleeping and I do whatever she tells me to do. But that didn't work when I asked her where she thought I should go to college and she said, "Green cheese." I don't think they have a college on the moon, though. Oh well!)

**StarrShyne:** If you think that'll work…You're a little crazy, but at least you don't ask your sleeping younger sister where you should go to college. Well, you play southern rock for your kids and I'll keep asking my sister strange questions when she's sleeping.

**Meadow567:** I'm glad you liked it.

**Nascarchick:** I thought that would be humorous and ironic. And I thought the idea of OC restraining Mac, the guy he once attacked, would be really fun and ironic.

**Darkdestiny2000:** It's a possibility. I'll see what comes to me. You wish you had older brothers? How many do you want? I've got three and I've been trying to get rid of them for almost seventeen years. I've got a twenty-six-year-old brother who's married and has two daughters and I have twin eighteen-year-old brothers. Which one do you want? (Actually, I love them and I don't know what I'd do without them.)

Now I need some help from you guys. I've decided that Rizzo, Robbie, and Buzzy need girlfriends, so I want you guys to help me name them and decide what they look like. If you have any ideas put them in your review or email me.

Ellie's POV 

The next day, I left practice as soon as the boys left the ice. I picked Jennie up on my way home form the rink and then went home. Jennie, Heidi and I immediately went to my room to work on my wardrobe. Well, Jennie and I were; Heidi was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling fan. After throwing all of my clothes around my apartment, Jennie decided I should wear my blue jeans and a pink blouse. "Oh, and sneakers," Jennie yelled as she ran out of the room. "I'll go find your skates."

"What should I do with my hair?" I yelled at her as I buttoned up my blouse.

"Put it in a ponytail! Oh, I found your skates!" That ended the strange sounds in the front closet.

"Good, now clean up the apartment."

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

OC's POV 

Jennie opened the door. "Hi!" she beamed. "Just a minute, let me tell Ellie you're here." She turned around and bellowed. "Ellie, Jack's here!"

"I'll be there in a minute!" Ellie yelled back. "And clean up the apartment!"

I followed Jennie into the living room; it was a mess. Probably every single piece of clothing Ellie owned was strewn somewhere around the room. "We had trouble finding an outfit for Ellie," her younger sister explained.

Ellie walked into the room just then. She was gorgeous. Okay, she's always gorgeous, but it was extra special that night. She was wearing her hair in a ponytail, like she did every other day, but this time Heidi's frantic grabbing with eager, slobbery fingers didn't mark her appearance. Every other day, Heidi had pulled Ellie's hair out or spat up on her clothes. But for one night, Ellie was neat and clean.

"You ready to go?" I asked her.

"Yep, Jennie, clean the place up, take good care of Heidi, and I'll be home by midnight," Ellie ordered.

"I'll be in bed," Jennie replied as we left the apartment.

"She's spending the night?" I asked Ellie as we walked down the stairs.

"Yeah, her curfew's eleven and Mom would shoot me if she wasn't home by then, so she'll just spend the night. Plus, my dad is coming over tomorrow to help me with the paperwork for the lawsuit and he'll just take Jennie home when he leaves."

Mac had loaned me his car for the night on the condition I paid for the (very expensive) gas. As we got in the car, I asked her how the lawsuit was going.

"It's so stressful; no one knows where Julie is, so I'm basically suing her parents. That's really hard on me because I love them and I don't want to hurt them. I practically grew up at their house."

"Isn't Julie proving herself unfit for motherhood by not being around?"

Ellie shrugged. "I guess, but her parents are next in line for custody, so I have to sue them for custody. I have to prove that I can provide a better, more stable home for her than her grandparents can."

"Will the courts look down on you for holding a job that will only last until the end of February?"

"Probably, but I'm going to prove them wrong. I'm going to prove to them that I can be a good mother and provide a stable home."

I could see the determination and fire in her eyes and I smiled. "That's my girl."

She grinned and then looked out the window. "Where are we going?"

I smiled mischievously. "You'll see."

She pouted. "Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No." I was staying firm.

She flashed a set of puppy eyes at me. "Come on, Jack, I'll be good if you tell."

"It's a surprise, Miss Elizabeth."

"I don't like surprises," she replied. "They require patience, something I don't have."

"Well, little Miss Impatient, when you're with me, you're just going to have to learn to be patient."

"You're evil, Mr. O'Callahan."

I just smiled at her.

A few minutes later, I pulled into a restaurant parking lot and looked at her. "Mac said you like this place; I hope he's right."

It was a small bar and grill called Arielle's. Ellie smiled at me. She had a beautiful smile and I loved it when it was intended for me. "I love this place. It's my favorite restaurant."

"That's what your brother told me."

"You asked Robbie what my favorite restaurant is?"

I shook my head. "No, he told me when Rizzo told him I didn't know where to take you. Mac told me I should have asked him a lot sooner, but I didn't. He just told me about this place this morning before practice."

She nodded. "You know, you're kind of pathetic when you try to be macho."

I frowned at her. "You're annoying when you act like a little sister; I already have one of those and I don't need any more."

"Shut up and let's go eat," she replied. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

We went into the restaurant and were seated a quiet booth in a corner. "So, tell me your life story," Ellie said as we perused the menu.

I smiled. "There's not much to tell. I was born in Boston twenty-two years ago, I've lived in Charlestown most of my life except my four years at Boston U, I have two younger siblings-James and Annie, and I hate your brother for stealing my ring in 76." I had meant the last bit as a joke, but she took me seriously.

"Do you really hate Robbie, or are you just refusing to let go of a stupid grudge?"

I looked at her. "I don't hate him anymore," I began, thinking aloud. "Beating him up really helped me get over that. And now, I'm starting to learn that he's a great guy off ice. He's my teammate and my friend. He's not just the guy who cheap shot me three years ago."

She nodded. "I'm glad you're growing up. I can't stand immature guys."

"Neither can I," I teased her. "I'll warn you if you start dating any immature guys."

She stuck her tongue out at me. "So, if we start dating and you start being immature, you'll warn me about yourself?"

I laughed. "Sure, but only if you promise to warn me if you start being immature."

Ellie shrugged and smiled her beautiful smile. "I guess I could do that for you."

"Good girl."

"Woof!" came her reply and I laughed. Ellie was a nut; you just couldn't help loving her. Okay, love was the wrong word, but she was just an amazing person. When I first met her, I wondered how a girl like her could be related in any way to Rob McClanahan.

Ellie's POV 

Jack was an amazing guy. He was laughing at my jokes, which aren't really that funny. His smile was gorgeous; I liked Jack, but I loved his smile. It was mischievous and cute while also being subtle and sweet. He was so silly and cute. We spent the entire night together laughing and telling stories. After dinner, we went over to the rink and went skating. "I want to see if you're really as good a skater as everyone says you are," he told me.

"Who's been talking about my skating?" I asked him as I laced up my skates.

"Herb, your brother, all the guys from Minnesota, and everyone else I've met who knows you except your mother and Kathie."

"My sisters and my dad talk about my skating?" I was shocked; I didn't know they noticed.

"Your dad thinks you're an amazing skater; he's amazed at just how good you are when you're on the ice. When I was at your house, he spent most of dinner telling us Boston Boys about how wonderful you are. You know how Jimmy was sitting next to him?"

I nodded; I remembered.

"Well, your dad spent like ten minutes telling Jimmy all about how good you are and telling him all these details about shows you were in when you were a kid. Ellie, your dad thinks the sun rises and sets on you. I've never heard any father talk about his daughter as much as yours did."

I blushed as I started skating around the ice. "You have to be joking; Robbie and Natalie are Dad's favorites. They're both so athletic and like him. I'm the brain who happens to also be a ballerina, a skater, and a pianist."

"You think that doesn't amaze him?" Jack asked, skating in front of me. "Your mother isn't that bright; your dad's smart, but he'll readily admit that you're smarter. Elizabeth, you have no idea how proud he was when he told us that you were accepted to Wellesley, Sarah Lawrence, Smith, Brown, and a whole bunch of other smart people schools like that. I was thrilled to get into Boston University and you got into Smith and Wellesley; Ellie, you're a genius."

I looked down at my feet and blushed. "I never knew my dad even noticed that stuff."

Jack hugged me. "Of course he does. What father wouldn't be impressed to have a daughter who was the smartest girl in her class?"

"At an all girls school," I whispered.

"So, you were the smartest person," he replied. "I was just an average student. I'm not that bright. Until I met you, I'd never heard of Watson and Crick."

"That's true of most people," I told him. "We don't understand DNA fully, so most of their research isn't taught that much in schools yet."

"But you know who they are; you understand what they're talking about. Deoxyribonucleic acid, the name doesn't even make any sense to me."

"Deoxy means without oxygen," I told him. "Oh, who cares? You're a hockey player; you don't need to know this stuff."

He laughed and hugged me. "See, that's what makes you so wonderful; you're a million times smarter than me, but you never make me feel stupid."

"Why would I want to?" I asked him as I skated away from him. "You know stuff I don't know."

"Like what?" He started skating after me. "What do I know that you don't know?"

"Well, Rizzo said you graduated with a bachelor's in finance, so you know all kinds of math stuff. I'm not that great with math; I'm much better with science or history." I kept skating away from him.

"So we each have our strengths," he called after me. "Hey, why are you trying to get away from me?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Mommy always told me to play hard to get." Then I took off again.

He caught up to me and picked me up. "Yeah, well, someone has to get you someday. You're just too cute to just let you slip away."

I smiled up into his beautiful blue eyes. I loved those eyes so much. I wasn't in love with Jack, but I was in love with his eyes. Oh, I could spend the rest of my life staring into those deep blue pools.

Suddenly, he poked me. "Hey, come back to me. Where are you?"

I smiled at him. "Hey."

He smiled that gorgeous smile of his back. "Hey, where were you?"

I blushed and mumbled, "Staring into your eyes."

He set me down and I stared down at my feet, again. He stuck his finger under my chin and lifted my face up so he could look in my eyes. Of course, that required that I stare into his eyes. He smiled down at me; he was so much taller than I was. "What did you say? I can't understand you when you're mumbling."

"I said I was staring into your eyes," I whispered, suddenly becoming as shy as a twelve-year-old who has been left all alone with her crush for the first time.

Jack O'Callahan beamed down at me. "You were staring into my eyes?"

I nodded. "Not to increase your ego, but you have gorgeous eyes. They're big and blue." I blushed again; I seemed to be doing a lot of that tonight. "I'm not sure why, but I really love your eyes. They're just amazing for some reason."

He smiled at me again. "You know, your eyes aren't that bad looking either."

I laughed. "They're just plain, ordinary brown."

He shook his head. "No, they aren't. They're the color of coffee with just a drop of milk. They're almost black, but not quite yet. It's a very subtle and very beautiful color. Ellie, there is nothing plain and ordinary about you."

"Now you're just saying things to get in my pants." Immediately, I wanted to take those words back.

"Ellie," he said in a warning tone. "I'm not that kind of guy. Granted, I come on strong, but I am not that kind of guy. I don't have sex with just any girl; I'm not the kind of guy who sleeps with a girl on the first date. I know you've dated a lot of weird scum over the years, but I'm not that kind of guy. I don't want to do every girl I meet. I don't want to hurt you, Ellie; I want to take things slowly."

I just stared at him in shock. "You want to go slowly? You're not going to force me into anything right away?" Dating Todd had been a constant fight to keep things out of the bedroom, and after I found out he'd been cheating on me, I was thrilled that I'd never slept with him.

Jack shook his head. "Ellie, I like you; I'm not going to do anything that might hurt you. What's more, I respect you. I'm not going to mess with a good thing."

I smiled and he hugged me. "And you're scared of Robbie."

He nodded. "Yeah, the fierce older brother also factors into things, but I do like you and I do respect you." He shook his head and laughed. "Man, Ellie, I'm being more emotional and sentimental tonight than I think I've ever been before in my life. You've got some kind of effect on me."

I laughed. "I won't tell anyone."

"Good girl," he said, hugging me again. "Now let's skate for a little while before I have to get you home so you don't turn into a pumpkin."

I laughed and skated away from him.

Jack's POV 

Man, what was it about that girl? She brought out my emotions and that was weird. I was used to being all manly and she made me talk about my feelings. But she was amazing. I really liked her. I wasn't about to tell Robbie this, but Ellie McClanahan was the kind of girl a guy could think about spending the rest of his life with. She was pretty, she was smart, she was sweet and kind, she was funny, and she was fun to be with. I could understand why the Minnesota boys called her a princess; she was one, but she didn't act all spoiled. She was the kind and benevolent princess instead of the harsh commanding princess.

I watched her out of the corner of my eye as I drove her back to her apartment. "I had a really good time tonight, Jack," she whispered, leaning her head on hand.

"So did I," I replied. "I had fun skating with you."

"Yeah, racing you up and down the ice was fun."

"Only because you won more because you used to do Herbies with Robbie to help him train."

She shrugged. "Well, yeah, but after a couple more months, you'll be able to beat me in the twinkling of an eye, and then you'll be having more fun than me."

"We'll just see about that."

She smiled and leaned against her arm. "I have to go to court for the first time on Monday. I just hope my dad can prepare me well enough."

I pulled the car into the parking lot. "You'll be fine. Your dad will help you and you said the judge knows Julie, so you have no reason to worry."

As I walked her to her door, she looked up at me. "Pray for Heidi and me?"

I nodded. "Of course."

At her door, I just hugged her. Normally, I would have kissed her, but if Mac found out that I was kissing his sister, it'd be my head on a silver platter while I was sleeping. I would just behave myself. Oh, and we planned another date for the next Friday. Maybe Minnesota wasn't such a bad place after all if there were people like Ellie around.

A/N: Please review! And let me know if you have any ideas on who Robbie, Rizzo, and Buzzy can date. If you want to create girlfriends for other guys too, that's welcome. Like I think Jim Craig, Bah Harrison, and Ken Morrow need girlfriends.


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N: Miracle is not mine. The only things I own in this story are Heidi, Ellie, and Ellie's friends. Thank you to everyone who reviewed; I love you guys.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Emador created a girlfriend for Robbie who will be named Emily. Schyler and Gabby-I can see that happening. Erin-oh my gosh! Heidi is my older sister's name and Erin is my sister-in-law's name. It does help and I'll try working it in. Gabby or Erin will get Rizzo.

**Vaughnloveralwaysandforev:** Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. I'm planning this whole thing where Ellie's younger sister, Kathie, falls in love at Rizzo, but he'll be dating some other girl who will happen to be one of Ellie's friends.

**StarrShyne:** We've been over this before. You've got Jimmy AND Rizzo; I get OC. Yeah, you're lucky you're not my younger sister, but Charlie's just as crazy as I am, so we get along perfectly. (We have to; we share a room with our thirteen-month-old sister.) If all geniuses are eccentric, I must be very intelligent.

**Klinoa:** Sentimental Jack is a sweetheart. I'm not sure how much of the court battle I'll put in, but I'll try to satisfy everyone's hunger for information.

**Meadow567:** I was wondering about that, if Buzzy and Gayle were already married by then. I'm definitely working her in because without her, there would be no Billy and he was born like two months after the Olympics.

**Miraclegirl:** I'm glad you love the story. Nope, I don't go to Red Hook School. I go to a private Catholic school in Michigan.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Yeah, so, umm, no. I was planning on using an original character. Sorry…

**Emador:** I know you love it and you're the best beta ever.

**Anmerie:** The kisses will come. Just wait; patience is a virtue. I've got some girlfriend ideas.

And on with the show…

**Ellie's POV**

When I got to the courthouse Monday morning, my dad was waiting for me with his friend and my attorney, Evan Carmichael. Evan's specialty is family law-custody cases etc. My dad greeted me with a hug and Evan shook my hand. I had to bring Heidi with me and I was a little worried about how she'd behave in public. Sure, she was a little angel when she was with the guys, but she adored Robbie, Rizzo, and Jack. Plus, Buzz would play with her whenever she seemed "lonely." He had said something about needing practice and I had made a mental note to ask his wife exactly what sort of practice he needed.

"Ellie," my dad said after greeting me. "We just got word that Julianne Watson was arrested in Colorado last week for drunk driving, possession of marijuana, and a few other drug-related charges. She pled guilty to the charges and will consequently face a large amount of jail time. Judge Harper will begin the proceedings this morning by declaring Julie unfit for motherhood."

"Is that good or bad for me?" I asked him, adjusting Heidi on my hip.

Evan shrugged. "It depends. Mr. Watson's lawyer is hinting that his client may declare no interest in custody, which means you would get custody. Then you would be put on a three month probation and if the court is satisfied with your parenting skills at the end of three months, adoption proceedings will begin."

I nodded. "So, I need to prove that I can be a wonderful mother?"

"More or less," Evan replied. "You need to be on your best behavior for the next three months. The court will also look for you to maintain a stable job, which is no problem for you, and to maintain a stable relationship."

"Does that mean don't date?" I asked.

"No," my dad replied. "You and Rob's friend, OC, have become close. If you do date him, you two need to maintain a constant relationship. Stay with him at least until you have formally adopted Heidi."

I nodded. It was so strange to hear people telling me to keep dating a guy, but I liked Jack and I wanted to stay with him, not just for the next three months, but for a long time. "All right, Jack and I will keep dating until Heidi's mine."

"That's my good girl," Dad replied.

After that first day, it seemed like the case would be over in a few days, at most, but it wasn't. It had been almost four weeks since the case began and relief was not in sight. The judge and the Watsons' attorney were determined to ascertain all the opinions and facts concerning the case. Ron's parents were dragged in as witnesses, simply to prove that their son had no interest in helping to raise his daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Watson each spent two days on the stand explaining why they didn't want custody of their grandchild. My parents were brought in to prove that I would be a good mother. Robbie was brought in and then the third Friday of the case, the Watsons' attorney, Mr. Mitchell, got really crazy.

He called Steve Janaszak, Mike Ramsey, Buzz and Gayle Schneider, and Patti Brooks as witnesses. His cruel purposes in calling them, as witnesses became painfully evident about five minutes into Rammer's testimony when he asked, "Mr. Ramsey, is it true that for the last five weeks Miss Elizabeth McClanahan has been dating your teammate Mr. John O'Callahan?"

Immediately, Evan jumped up and yelled, "Objection, your honor! The question is irrelevant."

The judge disagreed and ordered Mr. Mitchell to proceed. "Mr. Ramsey," the prosecutor continued. "Is it true that Miss McClanahan is dating Mr. O'Callahan?"

Rammer nodded. "Yes."

"Mr. Ramsey, how long have you known Miss McClanahan?"

"Four years."

"And in those four years, how many boyfriends has she had, including Mr. O'Callahan?"

"Including Jack, she's had four."

"Why did she break up with those men she dated prior to this current relationship?"

Rammer's face became angry, but his tone was still calm. "She broke up with Steve Janaszak and Todd Davis because they were cheating on her."

"And what about Peter Gilbert? Why did Miss McClanahan and Peter Gilbert break up?"

"He died in a car accident."

Mr. Mitchell was not expecting that answer and stood there, staring at Rammer for a while. In one futile, last ditch attempt, he asked, "Who was driving the car Mr. Gilbert was in when he died?"

"He was," Mike answered stoically. "Peter Gilbert was driving to Ellie's apartment when his car was hit by a drunk driver. He had been planning on proposing to Ellie that night."

"No further questions, your honor," came the crude attorney's faint whisper.

"Your witness, Mr. Carmichael," the judge said to Evan.

Evan stood up and looked at Rammer. "In the four years you have known Miss McClanahan, how often have you seen her with young children?"

"All the time," Rammer replied. "Ellie's been babysitting Herb and Patti's kids for ages. She baby-sat them about once or twice a month."

"And did you ever see her mistreat Danny or Kelly Brooks physically or verbally?"

"Never, Ellie loves those kids; she'd die before she hurt them."

"And is this attitude Miss McClanahan's attitude towards all children?"

"Yes."

"No further questions, your honor," Evan told the judge.

"Mr. Ramsey, you may step down," Judge Harper told Rammer.

Jannie was next. "Mr. Janaszak," Mr. Mitchell began. "How long have you known Miss Elizabeth McClanahan?"

"For the past four years," Jannie told him.

"And you dated her for a year during your freshman year of college?"

"Seven months," Jannie corrected him.

"Why did you two break up?" the attorney asked him.

"I dumped her because I wanted to take the next step in our relationship and she wasn't ready. So, I went off and found myself a girl who would take that step with just about any properly functioning male."

"How did Miss McClanahan react?"

"She was heart-broken, but in time, she recovered and moved on."

"How did Miss McClanahan respond to having her heart broken?"

"I'm not the person to ask about that. I wasn't allowed near her for months after that because Herb and Robbie were so mad at me for breaking her heart."

"Is Mr. Robert McClanahan prone to violent tendencies?"

"No, only when someone hurts his sisters." Jannie's answer was clear and honest.

"Is Miss McClanahan prone to violent tendencies?"

Jannie laughed. "Are you kidding? Ellie is the calmest, most cool-headed person I know. She never loses her temper."

"Never?"

"Never," Jannie said in a very final tone.

"No further questions," Mr. Mitchell said.

"Counsel, your witness," the judge told Evan.

Evan glared at Mr. Mitchell. "No questions for the witness."

Mr. Mitchell tried to interrogate Buzzy, Gayle, and Mrs. Brooks the way he'd gone after Jannie and Rammer, but the judge stopped him while he was going after Mrs. Brooks. "Mr. Mitchell, you have spent the past three weeks trying to convince this court that Miss McClanahan's character is not suited for parenthood. All you have managed to do is convince the court that Heidi Louise Watson has two sets of grandparents neither of which is interested in raising their granddaughter. What Mr. Carmichael has proven is that Miss McClanahan would be an excellent mother. I've listened to your badger witnesses and drive everyone in this courtroom crazy. I know this isn't normal courtroom procedure, but I'm making my decision in this case here and now. I hereby award custody of Heidi Louise Watson to Elizabeth Grace McClanahan. Miss McClanahan will be on parental probation for the next three months. She will be expected to provide a stable home for Heidi, maintain a stable job, and take good care of Heidi. Case closed and court dismissed." Then he banged his gavel and left the room.

Evan smiled at me. "Congratulations, Ellie! You did it."

"Thanks for your help," I told him with a sincere smile. Then I went over to where my father was waiting with Robbie, Jack, Buzzy, Gayle, Rammer, Jannie, and Mrs. Brooks. Gayle was holding Heidi, but she handed her to me when I reached her. Then I flew to my dad. "Daddy, we did it! I got custody of Heidi!"

"I know. I'm so proud of you," he replied, hugging me.

Robbie hugged me too. "Oh, I'm so glad for you, Ellie."

I smiled. "I couldn't have won without Rammer, Jannie, Buzzy, Gayle, and Patti. You guys were amazing, especially Rammer and Jannie. Thank you so much."

Rammer gave me a one-armed hug. "Anything for you."

I smiled at him as Jannie told me, "That's my way of saying sorry."

I hugged him. "And I forgive you, Steve."

Then, I handed Heidi back to Gayle and I was in Jack's arms. He was hugging me and I was hugging him. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. Then he kissed my forehead.

I clung to him with all my might until Robbie interrupted us. "Hey, Ellie, I have something to tell you."

I let go of Jack and planted my feet back on the floor, but Jack still had his arms around me. "What's up?" I asked my brother.

"Emily's back in town," Robbie said with the happiest look I'd seen on his face in the two months since Emily went to California on vacation. "And she has a job here in town."

"That's amazing." Emily is my brother's girlfriend of two years, Emily Sibley. They met our junior year of college when their dorms were right next to each other and they would both go running in the morning. They started running together and then they started dating.

I caught Gayle's eye and she smiled. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. _There goes any chance of having a celebration dinner with Robbie; he'll be off with Emily the rest of the night._ Jack was holding me close and Gayle spoke. "Ellie, if you and Jack want to go out together, Buzz and I would be glad to baby-sit Heidi tonight. You and Jack need a night together, just the two of you."

**Jack's POV**

"It would be good for you," Buzzy said. "You guys could talk about the future, make plans."

I shook my head. "I just started dating the girl, Buzz. Don't plan the wedding yet."

Gayle moaned. "Why can't we plan your wedding yet?"

"Because I don't know if I'm ready to get married," Ellie answered. "Jack's a great guy, but I'm not sure I'm ready to get married."

I wrapped my arm around her. "We'll see where this relationship goes."

Mr. McClanahan walked over to all of us. "OC, Ellie, Rob, I've decided to take the three of you and Emily out to dinner to celebrate. Ellie, don't worry; you can bring Heidi. Buzzy and Gayle, I'd invite you, but my wife and I would like this to be a small family dinner. The same goes for you, Jannie and Rammer. We'd love to have you, but Mrs. McClanahan and I would like this to be just the family."

"It's fine," Gayle replied as she handed Heidi back to Ellie.

Ellie kissed Heidi's forehead and smiled. "Dad, does Mom know that you've invited Jack and Emily?"

Her dad laughed. "Yes, she does. Amazingly, she seemed willing to let you bring Jack and to let Rob bring Emily."

"Well, Daddy, just make sure Mom behaves herself," Ellie warned her father. "I don't want her making a scene or pushing Emily away. Robbie wants to marry her."

"And control Kathie too," Mac added. "She's determined to push Emily away from me. It's like she doesn't want to see me happy or something."

I felt awful for both of them. I knew how much Mac loved Emily. I'd heard about her from him, the Minnesota boys, and Ellie. According to Mac, she was beautiful, smart, and sweet.

"I'll do my best, kids," Mr. McClanahan told his two oldest children. "I have to go home and pick up your mother and your sisters, but I want to meet you five at Talbert's at seven. Dress sharp."

"Yes, sir," his children replied.

Then he left and Ellie leaned against me. I wrapped my arms around her and stuck my nose in her hair. I wanted to stay in that position forever, but I had to leave for Norway in a week. That was going to be hard, leaving behind two people I loved while I went off and played hockey in Europe. Sure, I'd left behind my parents and girlfriends before, but I'd never left behind someone I loved so instinctively as Ellie.

"It's five o'clock," Mac said, interrupting us. "We out to get going if we need to go home and get changed. Ellie, OC and I will pick you up around six-thirty. Make sure you look like a princess."

I smiled as she nodded. "I'll see you two then." She hugged Mac and then me. But I also got a kiss on the cheek. Then she headed out to her car.

When Mac, Rammer, Jannie, and I got back to the dorms, all the boys were in Mark Pavelich and Bah Harrington's room playing poker. Rizzo looked up when we walked. "You look happy," he commented.

I grinned. "Ellie won. She has custody of Heidi and in three months, she can try to adopt the little princess."

Rizzo smiled. "That's awesome."

"Yeah, it is. Mr. McClanahan is taking his family, Mac's girlfriend, and me out to dinner to celebrate," I told him.

Rob was standing behind me. "OC, we should get ready if we're going to leave at six-fifteen."

"Where's Mr. Mac taking you guys?" Bah asked.

"Talbert's," I answered.

Bah whistled and Pav shook his head. "Fancy-schmancy," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Talbert's is the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in town," Bah told me. "Filet mignon there costs more than my parents' house."

"It might even cost more than the McClanahans' house," Rammer explained.

"That's a lot of money," Mark Johnson said. "OC, don't order the filet mignon."

"Don't order water," Rammer suggested. "It costs more than the engagement ring you'll need to buy some day."

"Would everyone stop suggesting that Ellie and I get married?" I yelled. "Rammer, Buzzy, and Gayle have all said something about me asking Ellie to marry me in the past hour."

"You two are good for each other," Rammer said. "I can see it and you two have only known each other for two months."

Johnson nodded. "Anyone can see that you two are meant for each other. Plus, you and Mac's sister getting married, it'd be a great way to reconcile everything about seventy-six."

I laughed. "We'll see what happens. Right now, I have to get ready to go out to dinner with my girlfriend and her family."

"Oh, meeting the family, OC, you're getting serious," Jimmy Craig teased me as I left the room.

I laughed, but Jimmy was right. I'd never met a girl's family before. Granted, I'd never dated one of my teammate's sisters before either, but this whole relationship was completely different than anything else I'd ever done.

Rob and I got to Ellie's apartment at six-thirty. "You can go get her," Rob told me. "I know you want to. I'll get the carseat out of Ellie's car while you're gone."

I ran up the stairs to Ellie's apartment and knocked on her door. She opened the door and I gasped; she was gorgeous. She was wearing a knee-length black skirt and a white blouse; Heidi was on her hip as usual. "You ready to go?" I asked her. "Rob said that we need to pick up Emily."

She nodded and grabbed her purse and Heidi's diaper bag. "All ready."

"Then let's go." As we started walking down the stairs, I remembered something. "Rob said he'd get the carseat and put it in the car while I got you."

"How are we going to fit five people in Rob's car?" she asked me.

"We aren't," I told her. "He borrowed Rammer's station wagon."

"The clunker-junker?" she asked with a smile. "Rob agreed to drive Michael Ramsey's clunker-junker?"

"Yep."

"What is he crazy? The last time he borrowed that car was the night he…" her voice trailed off. "Never mind. We don't need to talk about that. Let's just go the car."

Ten minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot at another apartment building. "OC, get in the backseat and stay there. Ellie, make sure he doesn't move. Emily gets the front seat from here on out."

Heidi got one window seat and I got the other, so Ellie was stuck between us. I had just shut the door when I heard Ellie squeal, "Emily!"

Emily Sibley was of average height, about five foot six or thereabouts. She had brown hair that fell just below her shoulders and she was wearing a sleeveless navy blue dress. "Ellie!" Emily squealed back.

Robbie got in the driver's seat. "No one ever squeals when they see me."

"Baby!" Emily squealed.

"Robbie!" Ellie squealed.

"OC, man, aren't you going to squeal?" Mac asked me.

"Sorry, Mac, my voice is a little low for that," I told him.

Emily turned around and looked at me. "So, you're the infamous OC who stole my best friend's heart," she said with a smile.

"Yep."

"That means you're also the OC who my Robbie cheap shot in seventy-six. That was just because he can see the future and he knew you would fall in love with his sister in seventy-nine."

I laughed as Mac started driving.

When we pulled into the parking lot at the restaurant, I began to understand just how fancy this place was. There was a valet and the parking lot was full of limos. Emily shuddered. "Robbie, is your mother going to be here?"

"Yep."

"I hate that woman. Why do you have to be her son?"

"Because that's the way the cookie crumbled?"

"Hey, if it's any consolation," Ellie interjected. "Mom hates Jack too."

"I'm sorry, Jack. What did you do?"

"I'm Irish," I replied. "What did you do?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is I've been dating her son for two years and she hates my guts."

I smiled. "You poor thing."

"Ditto for you."

When we got inside the restaurant, it was even ritzier than the parking lot. I felt completely out of place and Ellie was clinging to my arm. I got the impression she didn't like this place either. Even Heidi seemed uncomfortable and she was only four months old. Emily was clinging to Robbie's arm and I heard him whisper to her, "We'll just eat and leave. We don't have to stay here very long."

"I hate this place," Ellie whispered. I swear the girl was about to cry and I hate it when girls cry because I don't know what to do when they cry.

I just wrapped my arm around her and patted her shoulder. "We don't have to stay very long if you, Robbie, and Emily don't want to."

"Robert! Elizabeth!" That was her mother and that unbelievably annoying fake Southern Belle accent. "Oh, hello John, Emily, it's so lovely that you two could join us."

"OC, Ellie, Robbie, Emily, have a seat!" Mr. McClanahan welcomed us warmly. "Emily, how was California?"

"Sunny, warm, everything Minnesota isn't," Emily replied, sitting down between Robbie and Natalie.

I smiled as I took my seat between Ellie and Jennie. A waiter came over just then. "We don't have any high chairs," he said. "I'm very sorry, Mr. McClanahan, but we never have any customers with babies."

"It's all right," Ellie said. "I'll just hold her in my lap."

"Oh, good, good," the waiter said.

The entire meal was awkward. Between Kathie and Mrs. McClanahan both trying to make things miserable for Emily and me and Ellie and I taking turns holding Heidi in our laps while we ate, it was an unusual meal. By the time we were done with the main course, Robbie was digging for his keys in his pockets. After desert, he stood up. "OC, Ellie, Em, let's go."

I had Heidi at that point and I stood up quickly but not as fast as Ellie. "Goodbye, Dad, Mother. It was lovely seeing you. Kathie, don't forget you have a lesson on Monday night. Jen, Natalie, it was good seeing you. Goodnight."

I just nodded and said goodnight.

The minute we were in the car, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Ellie had seemed on the brink of tears the entire evening and she fell apart as Mac started up the car. "I can't do this anymore," she sobbed. "I can't stand listening to my mother insult my boyfriend just because he's Irish. She's so rude. She acts like the perfect society madam, but she has no manners. She yells at me for dating you."

I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. "Are you going to break up with me?"

She shook her head tears pouring down her cheeks. "I love you too much," she whispered.

"You love me?" I asked her. This was a great time to have this discussion with Heidi sleeping in her carseat and Robbie and his girlfriend in the front seat.

She nodded. "I love you, Jack. You and Heidi saved my life."

I ran my fingers through her soft brown hair. "I love you too, Ellie."

She smiled and leaned against my chest.

"You going to spend the night with her, OC?" Mac asked me.

"No," I told him firmly. "We're taking this slowly."

"Good man," he said.

When we got to her apartment, I walked her to the door and I carried Heidi for her. Before she went inside, I kissed her for the first time. Well, I'd kissed her that night she made me the omelet and pasta, but that didn't count. I was just trying to shut her up then. Now, I was kissing her because I was falling for her.

That's right. Jack O'Callahan was falling in love with a girl. The world is changing; my friends, and you just have to change with it.

A/N: Okay, that's the longest chapter I've ever written, nine pages in Microsoft Word. I would split it up if I could, but I can't. I'm really sorry. Please review if I didn't lose you.


	9. Chapter Nine

A/N: I don't own _Miracle_ and I'm not sure what I'd do with twenty gorgeous guys. I mean, I already have a wonderful boyfriend; what more do I need?

TO EVERYONE: GO BACK AND REREAD CHAPTER ONE; I CHANGED A LOT ABOUT IT.

**Klinoa:** Emador named Emily. Oh, yeah, there's loads of Mrs. Mac trouble in the future. You're reading too much into things. The thing with Robbie and Rammer's car is explained in this chapter.

**Killerkeanegirl:** Mrs. McClanahan is an awesome villain and heaps of fun to write. I'll work on giving Johnson a girlfriend.

**Darkdestiny2000:** The new girls will show up soon. Ellie will stand up to her mother…someday.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** I'm so happy you actually liked how long the chapter was. More sweetness to come, I promise.

**Mae:** Yeah, you can't attack a made-up person, but you can kick the asses of real people.

**Nascarchick:** Mrs. McClanahan is a moron and she's very simplistic, and stupid.

**Miraclegirl:** No, you'd know if I was in the same play as you. See, I'm the really loud, really bossy student director who also happens to spend most rehearsals babysitting our director's eight-year-old daughter.

**Meadow567:** You live in Michigan? That's awesome! Yeah, Emador emailed me and she figured it all out; Billy was born in 1981. I don't know if you've been paying attention before or not, but I never specifically said why Jannie and Ellie broke up.

**Emador:** All the stuff the guys said about the restaurant came from comments my younger sister and my older brothers made about this restaurant my dad's parents like to take us to on Mother's Day. Except Mark and Greg say that water there costs more than my older sister's wedding ring.

**StarrShyne:** You have a cute Jimmy. Yeah, Jack is irresistible and I want him to bad. My room's scary; I crash into everything in sight. And then this morning, I walked in there to dry my hair and my cat was sitting on my bed and my thirteen-month-old sister was screaming.

**Anmerie:** Yeah, Rammer rocks. I discovered him when I was watching the movie last week and I was like "whoa, he totally needs more attention." Emily and Robbie are awesome and Jack's the best.

Jack's POV 

I was sitting on an airplane to Norway. I love playing hockey, but right now I wanted to be with Ellie. Her mom was giving her a really hard time about dating me and I wanted to take care of her, make her feel better. Gayle and Emily said they would take care of her, but I was still worried about her. We'd gone out for dinner the night before and she looked sick. Her skin was gray and she barely ate anything, but she pushed aside all my questions. She insisted that she was healthy, but I couldn't believe her for anything.

I was sitting between Rizzo and Jimmy Craig. "Are you okay?" Rizzo asked me. "You seem distracted."

"I think Ellie's sick," I told him.

"So she'll rest and get better."

I shook my head. "She says she's not sick. But her skin is gray and she's not eating."

"Is she still a virgin?" Jimmy asked me.

"What did you say, Jimmy?" Rob's voice came from his seat in the row behind us. "Why on earth would my sister not be a virgin?"

Jimmy turned around and stared at Rob. "No reason," he said in a severely falsetto voice. "There's absolutely no reason why your sister wouldn't be a virgin."

I looked across the aisle and saw Bah roll his eyes and Rammer look at the ceiling; I'm not sure but I think Rammer was whistling. I really needed to talk to those two about some things after the plane landed. I would love to know what happened the last time Mac borrowed Rammer's car.

"There'd better not be any reason why Ellie isn't a virgin and if any of you change that without marrying her first, I'll kill you," Rob threatened. "OC, that goes for you too. If you and my sister have sex, I'll make sure that your ability to become a father is forever destroyed."

"I'll behave myself," I promised him. I did not want him to hurt me nor did I want to ruin my chances with Ellie. I was falling in love with her; I wanted to do everything in power to ensure that our relationship lasted.

When the plane landed, we were immediately rushed the hotel. We were supposed to sleep for six hours and then go practice. It would supposedly be morning when we woke up. We would practice for four hours and then we would rest for an hour. Then we would play the Norwegian national team. I had a feeling I was going miss Ellie and her massages.

I was sharing a room with Rob, Silk, and Rammer. It was some idea Herb had about making sure that us Boston Boys were getting along well with his Minnesota boys. It gave me the perfect chance to talk to Rammer about a few things though. The problem would be talking to him when Rob wasn't around.

But thankfully, Rob hit the showers the minute we got back from practice leaving Silky, Rammer, and me alone in the bedroom. Silky went back to sleep, so I decided to talk to Rammer. I looked at Rammer who was sitting on the opposite bed. "Got a question for you," I said slowly.

"What?" he said as he dug through his suitcase.

"When we went out to dinner with the McClanahans, Ellie said something about something strange happening the last time Rob borrowed your car," I said. I wasn't quite sure how to ask him what I wanted to ask.

"It wasn't exactly strange," he said, pulling a shoe out of his bag. "Well, it's not strange to me, but it would seem strange to Ellie."

"What happened?" I asked.

He looked at the bathroom door to make sure Mac wasn't about to come out. "Robbie borrowed my station wagon for a date he had with Emily the night after their graduation. It was their two-year anniversary and the station wagon has a really big backseat," Rammer said slowly. "And they were by a lake and they got romantic."

"How did Ellie find out?"

"Remember how she went to California back in June?"

"Yeah."

"She and Emily dropped Robbie and me off in Colorado on her way out there. That little Volkswagen of hers wasn't going to make the trip, so she borrowed the station wagon. Ellie and I took turns driving and Robbie and Emily stuck in the backseat. Somehow, what had happened back in May came out somewhere between Minneapolis and Colorado Springs."

"Two more questions," I said.

"What?" Rammer asked.

"How did you and Robbie get home?"

"Buzzy drove us back," he answered. "He was being nice. What's the other question?"

"What did Ellie do when she found out about Robbie and Emily?"

Rammer shuddered. "Ellie wasn't allowed to drive the rest of the way to Colorado Springs because she was so mad."

I smiled. "I can imagine that would make her mad."

"Mad doesn't begin to describe it," Rammer said, pulling a shoe out of his bag and throwing it across the room. He smiled. "I swear there was smoke coming out of her ears."

"She loves her brother."

"Yeah, she's a good sister. Sometimes, she makes me wish I wasn't an only child, but that's not that often."

I smiled. "I have a younger brother and sister. They're cool and I couldn't imagine life without them, but I imagine it would be hard to adjust from being an only child to having younger siblings."

"Robbie was an only child for a couple minutes."

"Then Ellie put in an appearance," Mac said walking into the room. "And it was the two of us together against the world for the next six years until Jennie decided to show up."

Rammer smiled. "You're still resentful about that, aren't you?"

"You bet. Things were fine without Jennie, Natalie, and Kathie, but I'm adjusting."

I laughed as Rammer said, "Rob, the last time I checked you actually liked Jennie and Natalie. Kathie, well, that's understandable."

I didn't ask this, but I was beginning to wonder why Kathie was the way she was. I knew that her mother was trouble, but Mac, Ellie, Jennie, and Natalie had escaped her influence. It was something I really wondered about. But we had a game to get to and time was running short.

Ellie's POV 

It had been three days since Jack had left and I couldn't get out of bed. It wasn't the fact that my boyfriend was out of the country; it was the fact that I became nauseous when I lifted my head of the pillow. I needed to call Emily or Gayle, but the phone was in the kitchen. I couldn't crawl to the kitchen, but how else was I going to take care of Heidi?

I slowly climbed out bed and climbed down the floor. Then, I crawled to the trashcan and threw up. I picked myself and crawled to the kitchen. When I reached the kitchen, I threw up in the trashcan again. I pulled myself up and picked up the phone. I dialed Gayle's phone number. I wasn't sure if she worked or not, but I knew Emily did and I didn't know Emily's new work number yet.

"Hello? This is Gayle Schneider," the friendly voice came calmly over the phone.

"Oh, Gayle, thank God. It's Ellie McClanahan," I said. Just as I finished saying that, I threw up again.

"Ellie? Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Gayle, I think I have the flu," I moaned.

"Are you at your apartment?"

"Yes," I whimpered. I felt like a little girl who needed her mommy.

I heard the sound of keys as she said, "I'll be right over there. Don't worry, sweetie."

I was lying on the floor when I heard Gayle at the door. I knew the door was locked, so I dragged myself over to the door and let her in. Heidi had been screaming since I called Gayle. Gayle bent down next to me. "Oh, Ellie, let's get you to the bathroom."

She helped me struggle to the bathroom where I bent over the toilet and threw up. While I emptied my stomach into that white porcelain altar, Gayle went to the bedroom to get Heidi. Gayle came back just as I retched up the last of my stomach bile. "I made a bottle for little Miss Heidi here," she said. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "My stomach's completely empty and I want to go back to bed. Oh, gosh, Gayle, Jack was right; I am sick."

As she helped me to my bed, she asked me what I meant.

"At dinner the night before he left he told me I looked sick and I should go home and go to bed for about twenty years." I sighed. "I protested, but he was right."

"One question," Gayle asked. "Have you had sex with Jack?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm still a virgin."

She nodded. "Then I think you have the flu."

"And Jack's coming home tomorrow. That's just lovely."

"I'll stay here today to take care of Heidi and keep an eye on you," Gayle told me as she tucked me in. Getting tucked in, yeah, that hasn't happened to me since I was eight. I'm firmly convinced that Fiona was my real mother because she was always taking care of me when my mom was drunk.

Gayle called Emily that evening and Em came to spend the night at my apartment and take care of Heidi for the night. Gayle was going to go home and come back in the morning "With hot soup and teabags," she promised as she left.

Emily smiled at me; I'd moved to the couch to watch TV around noon. "I brought you tea," she told me. "Do you want me to make you some?"

"What kind do you have?"

"Earl Grey, English breakfast, herbal, raspberry, apple-cinnamon, and green," she replied, pulling a wooden box out of her overnight bag.

"You brought your entire tea collection over here?" I gasped. "Emily, you're nuts!"

"That's why your brother loves me," she replied. "Now pick a flavor of tea."

I shrugged. "I'll go with green."

"Strange McClanahans, I'm sticking with English breakfast," she said as she headed off to the kitchen.

I snuggled up against my pillow and went back to sleep.

The next morning, Gayle was back with the promised soup. "The guys' flight is coming in at nine," she said.

"If you want, I can bring Jack back here," Emily told me, handing me a bowl of soup.

I nodded. "That'd be great. Just warn him that I'm sick before he gets here."

"Yes, mother," she sighed.

Jack's POV 

Emily and Gayle were waiting for us at the airport, but Ellie wasn't with them. She was probably at home with Heidi or something, so I figured I'd just go back to the dorms with the team and see her tomorrow. But as I was leaving, Mac grabbed my arm. "OC, listen," he said. "Emily has to tell you something."

Emily looked at me sadly. "Ellie's at home because she came down with the flu yesterday. She said to tell you that you were right about her being sick; she was running a 103 degrees temp last night, but she's down to 99 degrees now and she's looking a lot better."

"She's all right?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's fine, but she wants to see you," Emily told me. "She asked me if I would drive you over to her apartment."

I was glad to go over to Ellie's apartment and take care of her if she was sick. But before I got out of the car, Mac looked at me. "OC, I have to warn you that tomorrow's the anniversary of the day Peter died. Be careful with her and keep a close eye on her."

"What he means is make sure she stays sober and doesn't do anything stupid," Emily told me.

"Got it," I told her. Then I got out of the car and went up to Ellie's apartment.

I knocked on the door and heard, "Come in!"

I opened the door quietly and walked into the apartment. The TV was on; I'm not sure what was on, but it was on. Ellie was lying on the couch with a blanket pulled up to her chin and an empty soup bowl sitting on the floor by the couch. I walked over to her and knelt down next to her. "How're you feeling, sweetie?"

She moaned. "Better than before."

"Where's Heidi?" I asked her, moving the soup bowl and the teacup that was sitting next to it.

"Sleeping in my bedroom," she whispered. "Gayle gave her a bottle before she left and put her down for a while."

I nodded. "So, what's happening on _Happy Days_?"

"Huh?"

"_Happy Days_," I repeated, pointing to the TV.

She shrugged. "Henry Winkler's gorgeous, and I'm developing a fondness for Ron Howard."

I smiled and stroked her cheek. "Do you want me to stay the night?"

She nodded. "I might need help with Heidi."

"I'll stick around; I have my bag with me. But I have one question."

"What's that?"

"Got any room on that couch for a Boston boy?"

She climbed off the couch and I got on the couch. Then she got back on it and snuggled up against me. She was still warm and her forehead felt hot when I pressed my hand against it. But the thermometer said her temperature was normal, so that was a good sign. "The swelling in my lymph nodes has gone down," she whispered.

"That's good," I replied. "Do they still hurt?"

"A little."

I pressed my fingers against the lymph nodes in her neck. "Does that hurt?"

"Yeah."

"They still feel a little swollen."

We fell into a silence for a while. Then she whispered my name. "Jack."

"Huh?"

"Did Robbie tell you about Peter?"

I nodded.

"He was a great guy," she began. "I was eighteen and he was twenty-one when we met; Jannie and I had broken up about two months earlier. I was babysitting Danny and Kelly Brooks all day on a Saturday and I took them to the rink. He was there too and he was watching me skate with them for almost an hour before he came over to me. He offered to buy the three of us hot chocolate and the kids accepted for me."

Her eyes were filling with tears; she'd really loved him. I handed her a tissue. "Go on," I prompted.

"I wasn't sure about him, but he was nice. He grew on me and when he offered to take me out for dinner the next Friday, I accepted. We dated for about a year and a half and I fell in love with him. In my mind, it was the best year and a half of my life. Plus, his family was very well off and Mom adored him."

"And you fell in love with him?" I asked.

She got up and walked over to the bookshelf by the entrance to the kitchen. She took a photo album off of it and brought it over to me. She opened it up to a picture of her with a tall young man with dark brown hair and green eyes. He was sort of slender; I guess that's the way you would describe him. He was smiling and he had his arm wrapped around Ellie. They were dressed up like they were at some kind of party. "That was a week before he died," she told me softly.

I was about to ask her again if she had loved him when she looked me in the eye. "At the time I thought I was in love with him; now, I don't think that I really loved him. He was an amazing guy, but I think that our relationship wouldn't have lasted. By the time he died, he was twenty-three and I was twenty. He'd been out of college for a year and was in law school; I was still in college and I had another two years before I would graduate. Peter was talking about marriage, and I went along with everything. But looking back, I know that I wasn't ready; I was too young to get married. The night he died, he was going to ask me to marry him."

"And you were going to say yes?" I asked.

She nodded. "I had it all planned out. I was going to marry him the next summer, finish college, and then we'd start having kids. The thing is I'd probably be in the process of a divorce right now."

"Why do you say that?" I asked her, rubbing her hand.

"I didn't love him. The night of the accident, I sat in the emergency room with his mother waiting for news about him and I realized that he was an amazing guy and I loved him, but I couldn't spend the rest of my life with him. I didn't love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him. You want to know how I figured that out?"

"How?" I asked her.

"Robbie, Buzzy, Jannie, and Rammer stayed with me at the hospital that night. I was sitting in Rammer's lap crying while my boyfriend was dying. And you know what I was thinking? I was thinking about how hot Rammer was. I was wondering what our kids would look like if we got married. I just wasn't ready to get married." Ellie was bawling, so I pulled her in my lap and held her.

"Shh," I whispered. "It's all right."

"No, it's not," she burst out. "I was almost engaged to a guy and while he was dying, I was thinking about what would happen if I married Rammer. Think about that, Jack. It's disgusting and it's probably a sin."

I hugged her and rubbed her back. "It's not a sin, Ellie. I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Trust me, thinking about one guy when you're dating another isn't a sin. Is it weird? Yes, but a sin, no."

She nodded and leaned against me. "I'll trust you on that one."

"Good, because I know what I'm talking about."

She smiled and stopped talking. The next time I looked at her, she was asleep. She was an amazing girl, crazy, but interesting. I didn't get that whole thing about how she was certain she'd be getting divorced now if she had married Peter.

A/N: Please review!


	10. Chapter Ten

A/N: I do not own _Miracle_. I own my new shoes.

**StarrShyne:** My mom and her sisters all had crushes on either Ron Howard or Henry Winkler when they were younger, so, I worked it in.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Ellie was mad at Robbie for two reasons. One, neither Emily nor Robbie told her about it. Two, he's always threatening to kill her boyfriends f they touch her but there he is having sex with his girlfriend. Oh, and your characters show up in this chapter.

**Klinoa:** Yeah, Peter was a good guy and he really did love Ellie.

**Anmerie:** She had known Rammer for a couple of years and she was under stress.

**Meadow567:** Ann Arbor for me, yeah, I'm having so much fun writing this.

**Emador:** I fixed it and reposted it. It's fine; I need it. Well, actually, I need sleep and an ice pack. I got four hours of sleep this morning and then my friend Seth dropped me on the floor and fell on top of me.

**Killerkeanegirl:** I'm glad you're coming around to OC. Yeah; I figured he's actually a good guy. Johnson is going to meet his future girlfriend in this chapter.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Patience.

**Nascarchick:** Ellie and Rammer? Nope, they wouldn't get it on in the backseat; they're more the couch type. Peter was a great guy.

**Miraclegirl:** I'm glad you loved Peter. No, she's not pregnant with anyone's kid. Peter was fun to write. (I based him on my biology lab partner and the guy who sits two seats behind me in analysis.)

**Ellie's POV**

I walked into the locker room after practice a week later and all the boys immediately started telling me about the Herbies in Norway. "It was so exhausting," Rammer moaned. "Ellie, it hurt more than you can imagine."

"We needed you afterwards," Jimmy said. "Your massages are amazing and none of us could walk after that."

Jack had told me about it and I'd given him a massage that had lasted over an hour. There had still been knots the size of Alaska in his back almost a week later and he was moaning in pain most of the time I was working on his back.

"But Rizzo saved us," Bah said.

"No, Rizzo was the only one of you who was smart enough to figure out what Herb wanted from you guys," I said, intentionally reprimanding them. "If you guys had thought about what he was saying to you guys and what he was doing to you, you would have figured this all out a lot sooner. I know you guys; you're not that stupid. At least, I don't think you are."

"If you knew what Herb wanted all along, how come you never told us?" Robbie asked me. "You're my sister; you're supposed to tell me these kind of things?"

"Rob, remember when you had that massive crush on Jane Turner in high school and I let you get your heart broken even though I knew she was in love with Chris Hughes?"

"Yeah, I remember," he said softly. "But you let me get my heart broken because I needed to learn that lesson on my own."

I nodded. "That's what I did here. You guys needed to learn that lesson for yourself. Plus, back in high school, that was right after I broke my leg; I needed something to do."

Robbie came over to me and hugged me. Then he took Heidi out of my arms. "You were right though. I was so mad at you back in high school, but now I'm glad you did that. Besides, I have Emily now and for that I'm the luckiest man in the world."

I smiled and went over to Jack who pulled me into his lap. I snuggled up against his warm body. "You smell nice," I whispered in his ear.

"I just got out of the shower," he replied.

"I noticed the wet hair, but I like the way the smell of your shampoo and the soap mix together. It's a good smell."

He kissed my cheek and held me closer. "So, have you found a girl for Rizzo yet?"

I nodded. "Yep, she fits absolutely all of your specifications."

"Do I know her?"

"Nope."

"Is she pretty?"

"Now you're being cheeky," I told him. "You already have a girlfriend. Why do you care if some other girl is beautiful?"

"I don't, but I'm sure Rizzo cares," he replied. "As I recall, one of the specifications was that she had to be beautiful."

"Ellie, what's her name?" Robbie asked.

"Gabby Pierce."

"She's gorgeous," Robbie said.

"Absolutely beautiful," Rammer added. "If it weren't for Erin, I'd go after her myself."

"Who's Erin?" Mark Johnson asked.

"She and Ellie roomed together Ellie's junior year of college," Buzz said. "Rammer's been in love with her since he laid eyes on her and he finally got her to go out with him back in May."

"And we've been together ever since," Rammer said proudly.

I smiled. "Well, Emily, Gabby, Erin, and a few other people are meeting us at the restaurant tonight."

"Who else is coming?" Robbie asked.

"Schyler Morgan, Vanessa Taylor, and Nina Marshall," I told him.

"Sounds like a fun time," Rammer said.

Half an hour later, we met Erin, Emily, Gabby, Schyler, Sarah, and Nina at a restaurant near my apartment. Erin jumped into Rammer's arms and he swung her around. Robbie and Emily were a little more sedate but the rest of the girls just stood there, staring at the boys. Finally, Gabby said, "All right, which one do I get?"

I smiled at her eager face. "Michael Eruzione, get over here. I've got someone who wants to meet you." Rizzo walked over and I continued, "Rizzo, this is Gabrielle Pierce; Gabby, this is Mike Eruzione."

Gabby stared at Rizzo wide-eyed. Then she whispered, "He's gorgeous, Ellie."

I smiled. "Yes, now, go talk to him. He's really nice and he doesn't bite."

She smiled shyly and walked over to Rizzo. He smiled at her and they went to sit down. Jack wrapped his arm around me. "So, they make a cute couple," I said to him.

"We're cuter," he replied. "And you, Miss Elizabeth, are the cutest of all of us."

I smiled at him. "Are you trying to suck up to me, Mr. O'Callahan?"

He kissed my nose. "I would never dream of it. My passion is for sincerity."

I hugged him. "You're the best boyfriend ever, even when you're lying."

He kissed my cheeks. "I'm starting to figure out why I love you."

"It's my stunning good looks and charming manner," I replied. I looked over at Robbie and saw him holding Heidi. I smiled; Robbie was so cute with the baby. Emily had told me that he desperately wanted to be a good uncle and he enjoyed being with Heidi, but he was terrified that he would break her.

"You want to sit down?" Jack asked me.

"Sure," I replied as we walked over to join Rammer, Erin, Rizzo, and Gabby at a table. Gabby was living up to her name and talking her head off to a very attentive Rizzo.

Erin smiled at me. "I think we just found the man of Gabby's dreams. He's just sitting there quietly and listening to her. How many men like that are out there?"

I smiled as I watched Rizzo listen to Gabby prattle about her family and her life. "Is she always like this?" Jack whispered in my ear.

I laughed. "Always, her name is Gabriella, but Gabby suits her better than anything else because that's what she is."

"She never shuts up," Rammer said.

"She even talks in her sleep," Erin added. "I should know; I'm her roommate."

Jack laughed. "Do you get to sleep at night?"

"Yeah, we have two bedrooms."

"That's good."

Jack's POV 

Rizzo had really hit it off with Ellie's friend, Gabby. Johnson had joined us at the table, along with Ellie's friend, Nina Marshall. Nina was a petite redhead with insane curls and a generous smattering of freckles across her nose. Gabby was a tall, slender blonde with dark brown eyes. Nina was quiet, like Johnson, but the two of them weren't just sitting there staring at each other. They were talking, getting to know each other.

Robbie and Emily came over a few minutes later and Emily handed Heidi to me. "Robbie was scared of dropping her or breaking her, so he gave her to me," she told me. "And I figured you might like to hold her."

"Thanks," I replied with a smile. I loved this little princess. She had big green eyes, dark brown hair, and a smile that could melt your heart. She was clinging to my finger and staring at me. It was so weird to think that this little human being trusted me.

Ellie looked down at the baby in my arms. "She likes you."

"She likes you too," I told her, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, well, you deserve it," she replied. "You're really good with her."

"So are you. You're a great mother for her."

She smiled and leaned against my shoulder. Nina smiled at us. "You two are so cute. Ellie, you're so lucky; you finally found a great guy who's worthy of you. I just hope I'll be as lucky in love as you are."

Ellie looked up at me. "Well, guys like Jack are one in a million, but Johnson's pretty awesome too. I have a feeling you two will go far together."

Mark smiled at me. "You know, dating Mac's sister is turning out pretty well for you."

I laughed. "Well, I always knew there had to be something good about the McClanahan family. I just never knew it would be this good."

"She is amazing, isn't she?" Rammer said.

I looked at him with new eyes now that I knew Ellie had once had a crush on him. He was a good friend and I knew that if anything had ever come of her crush, Ellie would still be with a great guy, even if I weren't that guy. "She's great," I told him. "She's always there when I need her."

"She's Robbie's twin and his princess," Rammer reminded me.

Ellie lifted her head up from my shoulder suddenly. "Erin, do you know where Nessa is?"

Erin shook her head. "Nope, she's probably somewhere with a guy."

Ellie looked around the room. "You okay, sweetie?" I asked her.

"Schyler is with Pav, Nina, Erin, and Gabby are here at the table, but I don't see Nessa anywhere."

"Maybe she went to the bathroom," I suggested.

"It's possible," Ellie conceded. "But I'm not sure."

"If you want me to go look for her, I will," I offered.

She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, she'll show up."

As Ellie suspected, Nessa showed up a few minutes later with Coxie. Ellie cringed and I shook my head. Coxie was known to be quite the ladies' man and I could think of better guys for Nessa to be with. Nessa was Emily's cousin and she was very, very naïve. She would do whatever a guy told her to do because she wanted to make the men happy. Robbie, Emily, and Ellie were all worried about her and I was starting to worry about her too. She was all over Ralph. "She'd be better and safer with Silky or Bah," Mac muttered.

Rammer and I both nodded. Ellie took Heidi from me and said, "He's a great guy, but he's just not Nessa's type. And I think someone ought to do something about it."

Mac nodded. "Bah, come here."

Bah walked over and sat down next to Ellie. "What do you want?"

"Go rescue Nessa from Cox," Mac ordered.

"Why?"

"She's not his type," Ellie told him. "She's more for you or Silk."

Bah looked at Ellie. "You want me to go steal a girl from Coxie?"

She nodded and he smiled. "My life is but to serve you, princess."

"So, got any plans for this weekend?" I asked Ellie a little later.

"Yeah, my sisters are staying with me all weekend," she replied, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Why?" Mac asked. "Are Mother and Dad going someplace?"

"Yeah, Grandmother has pneumonia and so they're going to see her, but Jen, Nat, and Stinker need to stay someplace because they can't miss a week of school."

"OC and I will come over for dinner on Friday night," Mac volunteered. "We'd be glad to eat your cooking."

"You don't like mine?" Rizzo asked.

"No, your food is just fine," I told him. "It is just Ellie's food is wonderful and it's good to have a woman's cooking every now and then. It kind of reminds me of home. Ellie reminds me of my ma."

"Is that a good thing?" Ellie asked, looking up in my eyes.

I smiled down into her eyes. "That's a wonderful thing. Unless they're Robbie, most guys love a girl who reminds them of their mother."

She grinned and kissed me. I wrapped my free arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear, "I've got my girls."

Her eyes lit up and I kissed her. "And the beautiful princess fell madly in love with the talented commoner," Rizzo said.

I picked up the story where Rizzo left off. "She was one of the most beautiful woman in the world and he was a mere lowly hockey player who desperately wanted the gorgeous princess to look at him."

"Little did the handsome commoner know that the beautiful princess was dying for him to notice her," Ellie went on. "The princess had fallen madly in love with the handsome commoner the minute she laid eyes on him. She knew that they were destined to be together forever."

"One day, the beautiful princess and the handsome commoner came upon each other in the garden," Emily continued. "The handsome commoner knelt at the feet of the gorgeous princess, but she raised him to his feet and asked him his name. He said his name was Jack and that he already knew that her name was Elizabeth."

"The two spent the next few days and months together constantly," Mac went on. "But the queen did not want the beautiful princess anywhere near the commoner and she worked her hardest to keep them apart."

"But Jack and Elizabeth knew that it was impossible to keep true love apart," Rizzo went on. "And even when the evil queen had Jack exiled from the kingdom, the two still found a way to be together. Elizabeth renounced her title and went to be with Jack."

"And the moral of the story is that no matter what comes between two people, if it's true love, it will find a way to happen," Mac finished.

Ellie snuggled closer to me and I noticed for the first time that Heidi was asleep in my arms. "You two are perfect for each other," Gabby said with a smile.

Nina nodded. "You two look good together and you get along together amazingly. It seems like you two were made for each other."

"You're a match made in heaven," Erin told us.

Ellie laughed. "We've only been together for two and a half months. We don't know what's going to happen. It's going to be hard this weekend, dealing with having Kathie around. She's convinced that Jack and I need to be broken up and she'll do anything to make sure it happens."

"I hate that girl," Erin muttered.

Emily nodded. "She's evil. Jack, Ellie, no matter what she does, don't let her split you two up. You two need each other."

Ellie's little sisters weren't there when Mac and I got to Ellie's apartment Friday evening. Ellie was in the kitchen making a beef stew for dinner and Heidi was in her playpen staring at Ellie. After kissing Ellie, I scooped Heidi up and started playing with her.

Mac started making the salad, Ellie was still making stew, and I was entertaining Heidi when the buzzer went off. Ellie looked at me and said, "Keep an eye on the stew." Then she went to the door.

Mrs. McClanahan walked in followed by her three younger daughters. Jennie and Natalie hugged Ellie and rushed into the kitchen. "Robbie!" Natalie squealed, jumping on her brother.

"Ugh," Mac muttered. Then he hugged his sister. "Natalie, how are you?"

"I never see you anymore," she moaned.

"Well, you'll see me plenty for the next week."

Jennie smiled at me. "So, Jack, Mom hasn't scared you off yet?"

I shook my head. "Tell your mother I love your sister and she can't get rid of me."

Jennie gave me a one-armed hug. "Good, I like you and you're good for Ellie. Can I hold Heidi?"

I handed the baby over. "If she'll let you."

Mrs. McClanahan came in then. "Robert, come give your mother a hug."

"Hello, Mother," Mac said, giving his mother a loose hug.

Then she saw me. "Oh, you're here. I'd say how pleasant it is to see you, but seeing you it isn't pleasant."

"Hello to you too, Mrs. McClanahan," I said, desperately trying to be civil. "I hope you and Mr. McClanahan have a pleasant trip."

Before her mother could say anything else, Ellie came over to me and leaned against me. "Mother, be polite. Jack is my boyfriend."

"And I'm your mother, Elizabeth," she said. "Well, take good care of your sisters. Your father and I will call before we come home." Mrs. McClanahan kissed Kathie and left.

Kathie glared at me all through dinner, but I decided to just ignore her. After dinner, Ellie and I were washing the dishes when I remembered something. "Crap!" I muttered.

"What?" Ellie replied, looking up at me.

"Today's my mom's birthday and I forgot to call her."

"The phone's right there and it's only seven-thirty now; that means it's like eight-thirty in Boston."

I picked up the phone and dialed my parents' number in Boston. "County morgue, you stab 'em, we slab 'em," my sister's voice came over the phone.

"I must have the wrong number," I said teasingly. "I'll hang up and try again."

"Jackie!" she squealed. "Don't hang up! Ma, Jackie's on the phone."

"Don't call me Jackie," I barked.

"Fine, JOHN," she moaned. "Is Rizzo around?"

"Nope, I'm not at the dorm," I told her.

"Then where are you?" Annie always was the curious one.

"My girlfriend's apartment," I said trying to be as casual as possible.

"You have a girlfriend?" she squeaked. "Ma, Jack, has a girlfriend!" There was a pause, and then Annie said, "What's her name?"

"Ellie McClanahan."

"Robbie's sister?"

"Yeah." I was trying to downplay the whole thing.

"Didn't you try to beat up her brother or something?"

"Yeah."

"And you're dating her now?"

"Ma, Jack's dating Robbie McClanahan's sister!"

In the background, I heard my mom say, "Annie, give me the phone and let me talk to your brother."

"Fine," Annie sighed. "Jack, Ma wants to talk to you."

"Okay."

A minute later, I heard my mother's voice. "Jack, how are you?"

"I'm good. I just wanted to call to wish you a Happy Birthday."

"Thanks. Jack, what's this I hear about you dating Robbie McClanahan's sister?"

I sighed. "I told you about that in my letters. We started dating about two, two and a half months ago."

"Isn't she raising a little girl?" Mom asked. She always memorized my letters.

"Yeah, a baby girl named Heidi. She's beautiful, Mom. She's just so amazing; I love her so much."

"Ellie or Heidi?"

"Both of them," I said, smiling as I saw the smile on Ellie's face. "They're the best things that have ever happened to me."

"Can I talk to Ellie?" Mom asked.

"Sure," I said as I handed the phone to Ellie. "Ma wants to talk to you."

**Ellie's POV**

"Hello?" I said, tentatively as Jack gave me the phone.

"Ellie, I'm Jack's mother," Mrs. O'Callahan's voice came clearly over the phone.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. O'Callahan," I said, shyly. Jack wrapped his arms around me and held me close as I talked to his mother.

"So, I hear you're the lucky girl who's won my son's heart."

"I guess; we've only been together for two months, but he's an amazing guy."

"I'm glad to hear that. My son's told me about you in your letters and he really seems to like you."

"I like him too," I said. "He's sweet and I enjoy his company. He's also really good with Heidi."

"I'm glad to hear that," she replied. "When the boys play Harvard, you and Heidi will have to come over for dinner."

"I'd really like that."

"We'll make the arrangements closer to the date, but I can't wait to meet you and Heidi. But my husband and son both want to talk to Jack, so I'd better let them do that before either of them has a coronary."

I laughed and handed the phone over to Jack. "Your dad and brother want to talk to you."

He took the phone from me. "Yeah, Ma, she's amazing. I'll talk to you later." He talked to his brother and dad for a while and I had to smile at the O'Callahan manly bonding.

At one point, he said, "James, just because I beat up Mac doesn't mean that his sister would hate me forever and not date me. Ellie forgave me after I made up with her brother and we're both very happy now."

After he got off the phone, Jack wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. When we pulled apart, I saw Kathie standing in the doorway. "Why the heck are you two dating? Jack isn't good enough for you, Ellie," she yelled and then ran off.

I looked up into his big blue eyes. "I still love you," I whispered.

"And I you," he replied before kissing me again.

A/N: Please review!


	11. Chapter Eleven

A/N: _Miracle_? I don't own it. The guys? Sorry, they're not mine either. But Ellie, Heidi, Emily, and Ellie's friends are only the products of my very colorful imagination.

**Klinoa:** Ellie's used to it, but she's going to fight all of it before the end of the story. Ellie and their governess, Fiona, influenced Jennie and Natalie, but Kathie was only eight when Ellie and Robbie moved out, so she took more after her mother. Plus her personality is more like her mother's to begin with.

**StarrShyne:** Well, you can live vicariously through Ellie. And you have Jimmy; he's awesome.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** I'm so happy. When people tell me they love my stories, I smile. (I'm smiling right now.)

**Miraclegirl:** Kathie is going to have to deal with a lot of stuff soon. I'm going to give her hell for everything she's done.

**Nascarchick:** I love how you guys have all united against Kathie and Mrs. McClanahan. I honestly was not expecting this much of a response to those two characters. Don't worry; there will be plenty of good moments that Kathie can't/won't interrupt.

**Meadow567:** Thanks.

**Darkdestiny2000:** No you can't beat Kathie up. What I have planned for her will be so much better. I love Gabby and Rizzo too; they're great. Ellie and Jack are so much fun. Yeah, Kathie is such a little brat.

**Emador:** I love you! You're the best beta ever.

**Killerkeanegirl:** Yeah, the guys will love Ellie; she's their sister and their guardian angel all rolled into one. OC's awesome; life will be so much easier when you surrender. "Evil Momma" and "Evil Little Momma" I love it! It's great. I'll do what I can to them. Ellie and Robbie will meet the O'Callahans in November and the rest of the McClanahans will meet them at the Olympics. I'll see what I can arrange for you, but I'm not making any promises-yet!

**Caitlin:** Thanks so much!

Even though I don't generally name chapters, this chapter is named "While I was Sleeping." You'll figure it out in about two seconds.

Jack's POV 

I walked into the house after a long day at work and called, "Hello, honey, I'm home!"

_Heidi ran to me and hugged my legs. "Daddy! Mommy, Daddy's home!" she squealed as I picked her up and swung her around. I kissed her cheek. _

_Ellie walked in; she was carrying our two-year-old son, Stephen in her arms. She was seven months pregnant and absolutely beautiful. Well, she liked to argue that point with me, but I thought she was absolutely gorgeous. We'd been married for three years and the past three years had been the best three years of my life. I've been playing for the Chicago Blackhawks since after the Olympics. Amazingly, we won without playing the Soviets. That was a miracle. _

_"Daddy, Mommy's not feeling good, so you have to make dinner," Heidi announced. _

_"Heidi, you know I can't cook," I told her._

_Ellie sat down on the couch and sighed. "Jack, what happened to your skill with pasta and cream of chicken soup?"_

_"It still exists somewhere."_

_"Well, then go cook something up for us."_

_I smiled at her. "Why should I?"_

_"Because you love me," she told me with a smile. Then she placed her hand on her belly. "And besides, I'm seven months pregnant with your child. It's your fault that I can't see my ankles and I'm the size of an elephant."_

_"You're not the size of an elephant," I protested. "You're my beautiful wife who is going to give birth to our third child in two months."_

_Ellie smiled at me. "Jack, you're always so sweet. Now, go make your very pregnant wife some very yummy dinner."_

_"Yes, ma'am." I went over and kissed her. "I'll go make dinner now."_

_"I should go change Stevie's diaper," she said._

_"Poor baby," I sighed sympathetically. "You know I love you."_

_"I love you, too, handsome," she said with a smile that she kept only for me._

_So, I made her dinner. Well, actually, I made dinner for Ellie, Heidi, Stevie, and me. Stevie looked like the McClanahan side of the family more than the O'Callahan side. According to Mr. McClanahan, he looked just like Robbie had at that age, but he was my son and I loved him. "All right, people, dinner's ready!" I yelled._

_Heidi had set the table and I put the food on the table while Ellie got Stevie settled in to his highchair. "Spaghetti!" Heidi yelled as she sat down and watched her mother serve dinner._

_Later that night, I sat in bed watching Ellie get ready for bed. She gorgeous and I told her so. "Jack, stop trying to sweet talk me," she replied, sitting down on our bed to take her pants off. "I've looked in the mirror before; I know what I look like."_

_I wrapped my arms around her and stroked her belly. "I know what you think you look like, babe, and trust me, you're wrong. To me, you're beautiful when you're pregnant. See, when you're pregnant, it's because you're going to bring a new life into the world. And I helped create that new life; it's our baby."_

_"It's our son," she said with a sly laugh. "I mean, I was smaller than this when I was nine months pregnant with Stevie."_

_"Maybe you're just going to have a really big baby girl."_

_She smiled at me. "Heidi's afraid that if we have another girl we won't love Heidi as much as we do now."_

_I laughed. "There's nothing in this world that could ever make me love my little princess any less. I've loved Heidi since the first day I met her."_

_"Have you loved since the day you met me?" she asked, with a teasing smile._

_"I liked you immediately, but loving you took a bit more time. I had to get used to the fact that you're a McClanahan," I told her with a loving smile._

_She leaned back against me, so I wrapped my arms around her. I gasped and she turned around. "I'm fat, aren't I?"_

_I knew I was in for it, big time._

Mercifully, I woke up just then. To my knowledge, I wasn't married to anyone and I was sleeping in a dorm room with Rizzo sleeping in the other room, snoring his life away. I was just a regular twenty-two-year-old kid who played hockey for the United States hockey team. I sighed. I loved Ellie; that was becoming decisively clear to me. Marriage? I wasn't sure I was ready for that one just yet. I figured I'd deal with the Olympics and let Ellie deal with the adoption first. Then, when all of that is all wrapped up, we'll see where we are in our relationship and talk about marriage.

**

* * *

****Ellie's POV**

_I woke up and saw Jack sleeping next to me. He looked so peaceful, sleeping there. I, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. My back hurt and it was impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep in with this massive belly. I really want to just have this baby now and get it over with. I know Jack says I'm beautiful, but I'm really not feeling beautiful these days. I'm feeling tired and cranky and FAT. Ankles? I can't see them. I started crying, again._

_"Ellie, babe, what's wrong?" Jack whispered, as he slowly sat up in bed._

_"I'm fat and ugly," I sobbed. "How can you love me when I look like this?"_

_Jack kissed my cheek. "Okay, three things, first off, you're the most beautiful woman in the world. Secondly, I love for who you are. Thirdly, that kiss I just gave you was so salty. Babe, I love you, but your cheeks are too salty."_

_"Then go find someone else to kiss," I told him._

_"Never in a million years," he replied. "I love you too much to leave you."_

_"Even though I'm fat?"_

_"You're pregnant, not fat, babe. There's a big difference. In about five more weeks, that baby will come out from inside of you and we'll have a beautiful new addition to our family. Michael and Heidi will have a new baby brother or sister and we'll have another wonderful child."_

_I smiled at him. We did have two wonderful children. Heidi was five and Michael was two. Michael Robert O'Callahan looked exactly like his father had at that age; he was named after his uncle Robbie and his godfather Mike Eruzione._

_"So, do you think we're having a boy or a girl?" Jack asked me._

_I looked at my belly. "Honey, I wasn't this big when I was nine months pregnant with Michael. We're definitely having a boy this time."_

_"So, what are we going to name this kid?"_

_"Herb."_

_"No, Elizabeth, no, we are not naming our son Herb."_

_"Hey, I'm pregnant; cut me some slack," I told him with a smile. "Oh, I don't know. How does Harrison Herb sound?"_

_"Elizabeth Grace McClanahan-O'Callahan," he said slowly between clenched teeth. "We aren't using Herb's name in this kid's name."_

_"Okay, then how does John William sound?"_

_Jack shrugged. "It's a possibility. What about David John?"_

_"David?"_

_"From Silky and Christian."_

_"It has potential. Any other ideas?"_

_"Emily Vanessa," he threw out._

_"Jack, sweetie, we're probably going to have a boy," I reminded him._

_"But we need a back-up name in case we do have a girl," he told me firmly._

_"All right, if we have a girl, we'll name her Emily Vanessa," I consented._

_He kissed my nose. "Wonderful."_

_Suddenly, I felt an intense pain ripping through my body. I grabbed Jack's arm and started squeezing it. "Babe, what's wrong?" he whispered._

_"The baby's coming," I moaned._

I woke up just then to the sound of Heidi crying. I immediately jumped out of bed and ran to her crib. The next thing I did was look at the clock sitting next to my bed. It was six-thirty. "Heidi, I'm so proud of you. You slept through the entire night." I kissed her forehead and she kept crying. "All right, little angel, let's go get you some breakfast."

Just then, I realized that the apartment was freezing. "Well," I said to myself. "This is October in Minnesota. What was I expecting?"

I gave Heidi her bottle and she settled down for a while. I sat on the couch, holding her and looking around the apartment. Everything Heidi and I would need for the next week was in two suitcases. Emily was going to drive me over to the dorms at eight so she could say good-bye to Robbie.

I needed to get dressed and it needed to be something warm. I also needed a shower, but I had no clue how I was going to do that and keep an eye on Heidi. It was seven by the time Heidi was done eating and being burped. We went into my bedroom and I put her on my bed while I looked for some clothes.

"What should I wear today, Heidi? Huh? Do you have an opinion on what Mommy wears today?"

Heidi just stared at me and yawned. I laughed. "Heidi, you're absolutely no help at all."

Before I could settle on any clothes, someone knocked on the door. I ran to the door and opened it. Emily was standing there. "Darling, I'm sorry, but I don't think that the dance pants and sweatshirt look is going to turn Jack on," she said. "And I know he's going to hate the Minnesota sweatshirt."

I smiled. "This is called my pajamas, genius. If you'll watch Miss Heidi, I'll take a shower and get dressed. Then we can get going."

"Where's Heidi?"

"My bedroom," I replied.

"All right."

"But first, you're going to help me pick out some clothes to wear today," I told her.

She walked into my bedroom and walked over to my dresser. In a few short minutes, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a black turtleneck sweater. "Here you go," she said, handing them to me. "Now go take a shower and let's get going."

* * *

**Still Ellie's POV**

An hour later, Emily pulled up in front of the boys' dorms. Herb, Coach Craig, and Doc were waiting by the bus. "Where are the boys?" Herb moaned.

"I ate them," Rizzo deadpanned, walking out of the building and over to the bus. "And let me tell you there is nothing more delicious than roast leg of Bah."

Jack and Mac walked out just then. "So, you were nice and didn't eat my brother and my boyfriend?" I asked Rizzo.

"They can run faster than I can," he replied. "Besides, it's your thank you gift for introducing me to Gabby; we'll be celebrating our one month anniversary two days after we get home."

I smiled. "I'm so happy for you two."

He hugged me quickly. "Thanks for introducing me to her."

"Anything for two friends," I told him before Jack came up behind me and picked me up.

Jack kissed me right behind my left ear. "Hey, gorgeous," he whispered. "You look amazing."

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You smell amazing," I whispered. "And you don't look that bad either." He was wearing navy blue pants, a white shirt, a red, white, and blue striped tie, and a navy blue coat.

"Thanks," he replied. "I must say that the black sweater, blue jeans, and black wool coat is a great look for you."

Emily brought Heidi over to me and I took her in my arms. Jack stroked her head and smiled at me. "I had a really crazy dream last night," he told me with a smile.

"So did I," I replied. "We should talk about this on the bus."

**

* * *

Jack's POV **

On the bus the day, I told Ellie about my dream and she told me about hers. I laughed. "Do you realize that we dreamed about almost the same life except for the name of our son?" I asked her.

She leaned against me and smiled. "Yeah, well, Michael is a better name than Stephen."

"Stephen is my dad's name," I told her before placing a kiss on her forehead. "And it's an old Irish tradition to name the first son after his grandfather, so this Michael nonsense will just have to wait for our second son."

"Oh, now we're having two sons?" she teased.

I kissed her nose. "If you want to."

"We'll see what happens."

Ellie had her own room at the hotel because she was the only woman traveling with the team. Also, sharing a room with Heidi wasn't something any of the guys were interested in. I was sharing a room with Mac, Rizzo, and Pav.

Rizzo and Pav both snore; I already knew that Rizzo snored, but Pav snoring was news to both Mac and me. After listening to the snoring orchestra for almost two hours, Mac looked at me. "Do you want to go see if Ellie will let us sleep with her?"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to sleep with her and if you sleep with her, that's incest," I replied.

"You know what I mean. One of us will sleep on her extra bed and the other one, namely you, will sleep in the bathtub."

"Why the bathtub?"

"I don't want you anywhere near my sister," he replied simply.

"Fine, let's just go before these two make me deaf."

A few minutes later, we were standing outside of Ellie's bedroom, knocking on the door. She stuck her head out the door and glared at us. "What?"

"Can we come in?" Mac asked.

She opened the door a little wider and we walked in. "What do you guys want?" she asked, sitting down on her bed. She was cute considering that it was two in the morning. She was wearing black flannel pants and long-sleeved gray Minnesota t-shirt.

"Pav and Rizzo snore," Mac told his sister.

"So?"

"We can't sleep," I told her. "And we were wondering if you would let us sleep in here. Robbie figured he could take the extra bed and I could sleep in the bathtub."

"The bathtub might be a little small," she told me. "I think you'd be better off taking a pillow and two bedspreads and sleep on the floor."

I smiled at her. "That sounds good."

"Then you two can figure that stuff out and I'll go back to sleep," she told us, throwing her bedspread at me. Then she crawled back under the covers. "Good night, boys."

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Heidi crying. Ellie was sitting on her bed, holding Heidi in her arms. "Is she all right?" I asked. 

She nodded. "She's just hungry and it's taking a while for the water to heat up."

"How are you heating the water?"

"Portable hot plate from home," she relied. "I borrowed it from Gabby's dad; he's a chemistry professor at Minnesota."

I nodded and climbed up onto the bed. "I don't like your shirt," I said, settling myself next to her.

She shrugged. "I don't really care; it's my alma mater."

I smiled and leaned my head on her shoulder. "I guess I'll just have to get used to it."

"Yeah, you will because I'm not surrendering my loyalties just for you."

"What time is it?" I asked her as she fixed Heidi's bottle.

"Eight-thirty, you guys have practice at ten," she replied. "Heidi slept late this morning."

"That was sweet of her."

Ellie nodded. "It was very considerate."

We sat there in silence for a while Heidi sucked on her bottle. "Have you ever thought about having kids?" I asked her while I watched Heidi wrap her fingers around Ellie's finger.

She nodded. "Enough to know I want kids; I don't know how many or anything. But I know I want two at least."

"Why two?"

"Because I already have one kid, but I'd like to experience pregnancy and childbirth at least once. People who aren't my mother have told me that while it's painful and difficult, it's the most amazing and rewarding experience a woman can go through."

"You're an amazing mom," I told her, running her fingers through her hair. "You're doing an amazing job with little Miss Heidi here."

"I couldn't do it without your help."

"Nonsense, you don't need my help to raise the baby."

Ellie leaned her head against my shoulder. "That shows how much you know. I need you to help me stay sane and you're pretty good at helping out with Heidi."

I kissed her forehead. "If you say so."

She looked up at me. "Do you want to have kids?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said. "Until I met you and Heidi I never really thought about it."

"Didn't you ever have a serious girlfriend you thought about marrying?" she asked me.

"Can you two shut up?" Mac yelled. "Some of us are trying to sleep."

"Go blow it out your ear," his sister yelled at him. "I'm talking to my boyfriend."

"And I'm talking to my girlfriend," I added.

"Fine, I'll go sleep in my room. Rizzo and Pav are quieter than you two." And with that, Mac left the room.

Ellie looked up at me again. "So, back to the discussion about kids. Did you ever have a serious girlfriend you thought about marrying?"

"Yeah, I dated this girl named Susan during high school," I told her. Susan had broken my heart and it was still hard to talk about it. "I was in love with her and I thought she loved me. I was going to propose to her after graduation, but I found out that she was cheating on me. After graduation she told me that she didn't love me; she was just using me to make another guy jealous. That was the end of that relationship and I haven't been serious with a girl since then."

"Until now?" she asked hopefully.

I kissed the top of her head. "Until now. Ellie, I'm going to be honest. The past three months have been amazing. You've changed the way I think about women and relationships. You've taught me how to love again; you and Heidi have really opened up my heart. I love you, Elizabeth Grace McClanahan. You've been an angel for me."

A/N: Okay, please review. Next chapter, the adoption and meeting Jack's family.


	12. Chapter Twelve

A/N: _Miracle_ isn't mine.

**Killerkeanegirl:** I'm glad you liked the parallel dreams. They were so much fun to write. You must surrender-NOW!

**Darkdestiny2000:** My uncle's wife is named Susan. Snoring Rizzo and Pav will return. Yeah, eventually, Ellie and Jack probably will have Michael Robert, godson of Rizzo. The O'Callahans will be much nicer than the McClanahans.

**Miraclegirl:** They're very serious. And who said anything about telling Mac? He has his own problems to deal with. (See the end of the chapter.)

**StarrShyne:** Yeah, dream Ellie is based on my sister and sister-in-law.

**Emador:** You're still my favorite beta.

**Meadow567: **It shows that they're destined for each other.

**Klinoa:** Hey, I have a friend who's as skinny as a twig who snores like a symphony orchestra. Everyone loves the dreams!

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** I'm so happy!

**Caitlin:** I'm glad you liked the dreams. I'm thinking about having more dreams later on.

Ellie's POV 

Before I knew it, it was November and that meant two things. First was the adoption hearing for Heidi and second was the boys' game against Harvard. Jimmy, Silky, Rizzo, and Jack were looking forward to going home, especially Jimmy who was worried about his family. I was nervous about meeting Jack's family. What would they think of me? Would they like me?

But for the time being, most of my energy was focused on Heidi's adoption hearing. Herb had readily given me the day off, but I wanted either Jack or Robbie in the courtroom that day and Herb wasn't readily consenting to giving either of them the day off. The day before I was in his office still trying to the convince him to give one of them a day off. "Listen, Herb, both of them are at practice every day. Neither of them has missed a practice yet. The only thing either of them has ever done wrong is getting into that fight the first day of practices." I sighed. "Herb, please, be reasonable; I need one of them with me in the courtroom tomorrow."

Herb looked at me levelly. "Ellie, I can understand that you need some moral support from your brother, but I need him here during practice."

He paused briefly and in that brief pause, I realized that in the past four months, Jack and I had never once made it clear to Herb that we were dating.

Then Herb continued speaking. "But why you want OC with you tomorrow is beyond me. It would make more sense to me if you had Buzzy or one of the other boys from Minnesota go with you."

I looked down at my hands in my lap. "Herb, Jack and I are dating; we've been dating since late July or early August. He's my boyfriend and the closest thing Heidi has to a father right now. With all due respect, Herb, I'd really like to have him there for moral support tomorrow."

Herb just looked at me for a while. Then he said, "Well, you and Jack O'Callahan, that's certainly one I never saw coming. I would have expected you to be more likely to date Rammer."

I smiled. "No, Rammer and I are just friends. Do you have a problem with me dating one of your players?"

"I'll admit that I'm not crazy about it, but I'm willing to accept that you and OC are two reasonable, mature adults. I'm also expecting you to behave as such. If you two end your relationship before the Olympics, I expect you two to remain civil with each other. Do you understand? Elizabeth, this is a very serious situation. Most companies have rules forbidding this kind of relationship." Herb looked and sounded about as serious as a heart attack.

I nodded slowly. "I understand, Herb, but I value my relationship with Jack and I intend to stay with him for as long as I can."

Herb looked at me seriously. "Go get OC. I want to talk to the two of you together."

When Jack and I came back in the room, I was sure Herb was going to lecture us. But instead, all he said was "OC, Ellie, sit down." We followed his orders and he started talking. "First off, I want to say that I hope that your relationship doesn't get in the way of your jobs. Secondly, Jack, I've known Ellie since she was fourteen and I expect you to treat her like a princess."

Jack smiled. "Coach, Mac, Buzzy, Rammer, Jannie, and the rest of the Minnesota boys have threatened to kill me if I ever hurt Ellie."

Herb nodded. "All right, thirdly, Ellie is the most persistent physical therapist I've ever met. OC, you can have the day off tomorrow to go with Ellie to the hearing."

Jack smiled again. Oh, I loved that smile; I could spend the rest of my life waking up to that face every morning.

The next day, I put Heidi in her carseat and drove to the courthouse. Jack, my dad, and my attorney, Evan Carmichael were waiting for me when I got there. Jack kissed my cheek and took Heidi from me while Dad and Evan started talking legal mumbo-jumbo. "All right," Evan started. "Today will be very simple if Stanley Mitchell behaves himself."

"Pray to God that he does," Dad whispered. "Stanley doesn't want to face my wrath if he tries to prevent my daughter from adopting Heidi."

The courtroom wasn't hot and stuffy like it'd been back in August; now it was cold and drafty. Stanley Mitchell, the Watsons' attorney, was sitting with Mr. and Mrs. Watson, but he was subdued throughout the proceedings and with in six hours everything was arranged. I had legally adopted Heidi Louise Watson and she was mine, forever. No more was she Heidi Louise Watson, daughter of Ron Cummings and Julie Watson; now she was Heidi Louise McClanahan, my daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Watson came over to me after the judge issued his decision. "Congratulations, Elizabeth," Mr. Watson said. "I'm very pleased that you'll be taking care of Heidi. She's a delightful child, but I think you'll do better as a parent than Marjorie and I would. You can shove her off on that old nanny of yours whenever you want to."

I frowned. "I'd rather not. Fiona was a great mother for me, but I'd like to be Heidi's mother myself."

"You're crazy," Mr. Watson said.

His wife sighed and squeezed my hand. "I'm very happy for you, Elizabeth. You're destined to be a great mother; I can just feel it."

I smiled and thanked her before practically running to Jack. He swept me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. "I'm so happy for you," he whispered. "Heidi's finally really yours."

"Hey, someday she could be yours too," I whispered in his ear. "All you'd have to do is marry me and adopt her."

He laughed and pressed his nose in my hair. "It has potential. But right now let's focus on the Olympics."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "That sounds like a plan."

Jack's POV 

A week later, we were in the Boston area to play Harvard. Ellie was freaking out about meeting my parents, and I was trying to convince her that my family wasn't made up of cannibals. "Annie's a little savage, but the rest of them are harmless," I told her the night before the game. Mac and I were sleeping in her room, again; Rizzo and Pav were still snoring, but Ellie and Heidi were sedate sleepers.

Mac looked over at us from his bed where he was playing with his niece. "Ellie, it's not like his family can be any worse than ours. And even if his sister's a little weird, she can't be worse than Kathie. Do you remember what our darling baby sister did the first time I brought Emily home to meet the folks?"

Ellie shuddered. "I wanted to kill her. She was so humiliating; I thought Em was going to break up with you on the spot."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Kathie spat on Em's food during dinner," Mac told me. "Then she kicked Emily while she was walking from the dining room to the living room."

"Then she said that Em was just a psychotic whore," Ellie said. "And a bunch of other terrible things."

I held her close. "I promise you James and Annie aren't like that. Annie may be nuts, but she's always nice especially to the girls I date. James says he thinks she thinks it's pity."

"I don't think you need pity," she told me with a smile. "Robbie over there might need pity, but you definitely don't."

"Why do I need pity?" Mac asked. "I've got a great girlfriend who loves me more than anything."

"Sure, that's what Emily tells you," Ellie teased. "But really she's keeping another guy on the side."

"Shut up," her brother barked. "And don't say that kind of stuff about my girlfriend ever again."

After that the conversation pretty much fell apart.

We played Harvard the next evening and won. Ellie was thrilled to pieces and yet scared to death of meeting my family. "I'm not related to a bunch of cannibals," I told her. "Annie's weird, but she won't try to eat you."

Elle was clinging desperately to my arm with one hand and holding Heidi with the other arm. "What if they don't like me?" she whispered.

"What's not to love?" I asked her. "You're smart, sweet, kind, beautiful, and my girlfriend. Don't worry about a thing; my family will love you. I know I do."

She kissed my cheek. "You're the best boyfriend ever."

"I love you," I whispered in her ear.

"I love you too," she whispered. "Now let's go meet your family."

"All right," I told her with a smile.

We walked out into the hallway where my family was waiting for us. Annie immediately ran to me and jumped into my arms. "Jackie!" she squealed. "I missed you! Oh, you must be Jackie's girlfriend. How much is he paying you to date him?"

"Annie, shut up," James said, coming up behind her. "Ellie, I apologize for my sister's behavior. We can't figure out if she's adopted or switched at birth."

"Oh, don't worry," Ellie told him. "She's much better behaved than my younger sisters."

"Much better," I affirmed.

James smiled. "Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Jack's brother, James O'Callahan."

Ellie shook his hand. "I'm Ellie McClanahan."

"She's my girlfriend," I added, knowing that my voice was filled with pride. "Annie, go get Ma and Dad; I want them to meet my Ellie."

"Your Ellie?" she questioned.

"Yes," I replied harshly. "Now go get Ma and Pa."

"Yes sir," she said, saluting me.

Ellie's POV 

"Relax, sweetheart," Jack whispered in my ear. "They're going to love you."

Just then, Annie came back with Mr. and Mrs. O'Callahan. "Here she is, Ma! This is Jack's girlfriend."

Mrs. O'Callahan hugged her son. "Jack, it's so good to see you. You look wonderful. Have you been eating well?"

"Between Rizzo and Ellie I never go hungry," he replied, kissing her cheek. "Ma, I want you to meet someone. Ma, this is my girlfriend, Ellie McClanahan."

Mrs. O'Callahan shook my hand. "It's so nice to meet you, Ellie. Jack's told me so much about you."

I blushed and I knew it. "All of it good, I hope."

She smiled. "My son adores you; he'd be scared to say anything bad about you." She stroked Heidi's cheek. "And who is this little princess?"

"This is Heidi, Ellie's daughter," Jack told his mother. "The adoption came through officially last week.

"Congratulations," Mrs. O'Callahan said, hugging me. "All Jack ever tells me about is how much he loves being with you and Heidi. You've really captured my boy's heart and I'm very happy for you."

I smiled. "He's a wonderful guy."

"Ellie," Jack interrupted. "I want you to meet my father. Ellie, this is my dad, Stephen O'Callahan. Pa, this is my girlfriend, Ellie."

Mr. O'Callahan smiled at me. "It's nice to meet you, Ellie. You're all Jack ever talks about."

I smiled and Jack spoke. "I love her. She's all I want to talk about."

I kissed his cheek. "Jack and Heidi are the best things to ever come into my life."

I stayed and talked with the O'Callahans until I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. "Ellie, Mac needs you."

I turned around and saw Buzzy standing behind me. "What's going on?" I asked him.

"I don't know," he said. "All I know is that Mac told me to tell you he had something to tell you and that he needs you to meet him on the bus ASAP."

"All right." I was worried. "Jack, can you keep on eye on Heidi while I go talk to Robbie?"

Jack took Heidi from me and kissed me. "I'll meet you on the bus."

I walked by Jimmy and his dad on my way to the bus; I felt awful for their whole family. Losing Mrs. Craig must have been terrible.

Robbie was waiting for me when I boarded the bus. I sat down next to him and he hugged me. "What's up?" I asked him.

"Where's Heidi?" he posed another question instead of answering.

"She's with Jack. His mother wanted to spend some time with her and I figured that whatever you wanted to talk about was something important, so we should do it privately."

My brother nodded. "That's good."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until I said, "What did you want to talk about?"

He sighed. "I'm going to ask Emily to marry me when we get home."

"That's wonderful, but I thought you were planning to wait until after the Olympics to propose."

He looked at his feet. "I was."

"What happened to change your mind?" I asked. I had a sneaking suspicion as to what the answer was going to be, but I wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth.

Robbie didn't say anything for a while, which pretty much confirmed all my suspicions. Then he spoke. "You know how Emily and I have been, well, sleeping together?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Robbie, what's going on?" He had pretty much confirmed my fears, but I wanted him to come right out and say what he had to say.

"Emily's pregnant," he breathed softly.

"When's she due?" I asked.

"April," he replied. "If she says yes, we'll get married after the baby comes."

I nodded again. "Are you going to tell Herb?"

"I have to; he's my coach."

"And the guys?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet," he said. "I'll probably tell Rammer and Buzzy; I'm not sure about the other guys."

"You need to tell Jannie, Buzzy, and Rammer; they've known you forever. Bah and Pav have known you for a while too. At least tell those five guys and the rest will figure things out in the next few months."

Robbie looked at me. "I know. This whole situation is completely new to me; I've never dealt with anything like this before. I will tell the guys I went to UM with and I'll probably end up telling Rizzo because when you're around him it's like being around a priest; you just have to tell him what's going on."

"Anybody else?"

"OC," he said ruthful with a smile. "He's your boyfriend; I have to tell him before you do."

I hugged my brother. "You're going to be a great dad."

He shook his head. "I'm going to be someone's dad."

"What?" a voice said from above us.

We both looked up and saw Jack standing there with Heidi in his arms. "What's going on? Why did Mac say he was going to be someone's dad?"

"Emily's pregnant," Robbie told Jack. "And yes, I'm the father."

"Whoa," Jack breathed. "That's not what I was expecting, no pun intended."

My brother smiled at my boyfriend. "It's all right. It's not something Emily and I were planning; this was definitely a surprise to me."

I looked at my brother and I knew that he was scared. I knew he'd be okay, but I didn't know if he knew that yet.

A/N: Please review!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

A/N: _Miracle_ isn't mine. Yippee! I have over a hundred reviews!

**Miraclegirl:** You'll start to see people's responses to the bombshell in this chapter.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** I'm so happy.

**Meadow567:** Never see OSCAR, but okay. And I will email you/IM you someday.

**Klinoa:** _Three Men and a Baby_ will be later in the chapter. (IMDB lied; Billy Schneider was born in 1981.) That would be hysterical. Heidi's evil. Everyone loved the Rizzo/priest line.

**Killerkeanegirl:** They're going to get it on Christmas. I can't make you, but I can show you more evidence that will soften your heart and make you want to surrender.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Julie is not coming back; she's in prison. People will have lots of different reactions to Emily's pregnancy, even within the team; Herb will not be happy with Mac for this one. I'm glad you loved the O'Callahans. Mrs. McClanahan will be full on evil. I'll have Erin or Nina beat her up for you; will that work?

**Emador: **It's because Rizzo is not meant to be a priest, but he sure acts like one.

**StarrShyne:** So glad you liked it.

**Dumbeblondi02:** Oh, in an OC story, you have to put MSG in there. It'll be there soon but first we have to get through December and January.

Ellie's POV 

The next Monday Jack, Mac, and Rizzo all came to me with problems in the space of twenty minutes. Rizzo was first; he and Gabby would be celebrating their three-month anniversary in mid-December, and Rizzo wanted to do something special for her. I told him to make his famous spaghetti and meatballs for her and avoid any Robbie-Emily-esque relations. He laughed, hugged me, and said, "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Next was Jack. Tim Harrer had joined the team that morning and Jack was worried Herb would cut Rizzo in favor of Timmy. I had the same fears as he did and didn't know what to say to him. "Play with Heidi for a while and see if anything comes to you," I told him.

He kissed me. "Heidi and I will be back later."

"Take good care of my baby," I told him.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "But only if you promise to take good care of mine."

I smiled and kissed him. "I love you, Jack."

He kissed me again. "I love you too, Ellie. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

I smiled. "Behave yourself."

"Yes, ma," he said before he left the room.

* * *

My favorite brother was my next visitor. "I can't tell Mother about the baby," he announced, walking into my office. "She'll kill me, so Emily and I aren't coming to Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner."

"Gee, thanks, you're the best brother ever," I sighed. "You're just going to leave Jack and me to fend for ourselves with Mother and Kathie. That's so kind, sweet, and generous of you. I love you so much for that."

Robbie rolled his eyes. "Ellie, Mom will kill us if we show up there and she sees that I got my girlfriend pregnant. Wow, that'll be the one to spread around the country club over martinis and bridge. I can hear it now. 'So, Miranda, what's new with your kids?' someone will ask. And she'll say 'Oh, well, Katherine is wonderful, Vivian Jennifer just got her driver's license and it's giving me nightmares, Natalie is being a typical rebellious teenager, Elizabeth is dating an Irish hockey player from Boston, and Robert knocked his girlfriend up.' Doesn't that sound great?"

I sighed, again. "Rob, you're forgetting that Mom abhors Jack."

"So bring Rizzo with you guys; Kathie's in love with him."

"Rob, be sensible for five seconds, please. Why do I have to be the only sane one in this family? Why am I the only one who ever thinks?"

"I am thinking; I'm thinking about my fiancée and my child. Newsflash, Ellie, they're my number one priorities right now."

"Newsflash for you, my top priorities right now are Heidi and Jack; I love you, I love Em, I love the team, but right now I need to focus on raising my daughter and my relationship with my boyfriend."

We were both getting mad and that wasn't good. The McClanahan temper can be flammable and I really didn't want to start a fire. Thankfully, a surprise walked into my office just then. "Jennie!" I screamed at the sight of my sixteen-year-old sister.

"Ellie!" she squealed, giving me a bear hug.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Daddy gave me a car for my birthday," she said. "And Natalie is babysitting Stephanie Tucker until five, so I decided to stop by and see you."

"It's great to see you," I said. "And Robbie's here too."

She turned around. "Hey, Robbie, how's life?"

"Good, how are you?"

"I'm busy."

He nodded. "Well, I have to a meeting with Herb to get to, so I'll see you later."

After Robbie left, Natalie smiled at me. "I have huge news for you."

"Mom's dying," I said, half-jokingly.

"Nope."

"Dad is having an affair with his secretary."

"Umm, gross? Anyway, Lucille is like eighty."

"Natalie, what's up?"

"Adam Meyer asked me out," she squealed. "He's taking me out for dinner Friday night."

"That sounds fun," I replied. Then, trying to sound casual, I added, "Tell Mom that Jack and I are coming to dinner on Thursday, but Rob and Emily aren't."

"Why not?"

"They're going to her parents' house instead," I said. It wasn't totally a lie; they probably would go to the Sibleys' house. After all, Mr. and Mrs. Sibley are much more open-minded than my mother.

"Oh, okay," she said and left it at that.

**

* * *

Rob's POV**

I had a meeting at four with Herb, Craig, and Doc to tell them about Emily and the baby. Herb was not going to be happy about this. Okay, my chances of getting cut were probably one hundred percent at that point. I didn't know how Craig and Doc would react, but I knew I was in for it.

I walked into Herb's office and sat down. "All right, Rob, what's going on?" he asked. "Why do you need to talk to us?"

"Coach, you're not going to like this," I said slowly. "But I have to tell you something."

"All right," he said.

"You know how I've been dating Emily Sibley for the past two and a half years?"

"Yes," came Herb's curt reply.

"Well, I asked her to marry me last night and she said yes."

"All right."

"But there's more," I quickly added. "She's pregnant."

You could have heard a pin drop in the room after I said that. For what seemed like an eternity to me, Herb just sat there and stared at me like he was trying to read my soul or something. But then again, I'm not completely convinced that he can't read souls. Doc became very intent on studying his hands and Craig was just looking at me completely and utterly blown away. Of course, I was completely and utterly blown away when Emily told me she was pregnant, but I'd been dealing with this for the past two months.

Finally, Herb spoke. Well, it wasn't so much speaking as yelling. "What the hell did you think you were doing? I've spent the past four years trying to make sure you were a responsible young man and look at what you've gone and done. Do you even think before you act, McClanahan?"

"Herb, I'm sorry," I said. "And I am going to marry her."

"You'd better," Herb replied harshly.

"Herb, the boy is making an effort," Doc interjected. "He is taking responsibility for his actions. He just said he was going to marry her."

"Give the boy some credit for what he's doing now," Craig added.

"Look, Herb, I know you disapprove of what I did, but I'm trying to make it right," I told him, knowing that I was basically pleading for my spot on the team. "If you want to cut me from the team, that's fine with me. I'd understand, but I'm asking you to give me a chance to take responsibility for myself and prove that I'm worth your time and the USOC's time."

Herb nodded. "All right, Mac, I'll give you a shot. I'll keep you around and see what you can make of yourself. But you are going to have to prove yourself to me and take responsibility for your actions. When are you planning to marry Emily?"

"We decided to wait until after the baby's born," I replied. Emily absolutely refused to get married when she was pregnant, claiming she would be "too fat."

Herb nodded. "All right, Mac, if you prove to me that you can take care of all your responsibilities, I'll let you stay on the team. And I will be checking up on you through your sister."

I nodded. "I'll do my best, Coach, and that's a promise."

"All right. But you still need to tell the rest of the team," Herb told me. "This news has to come from you. You can't dump the responsibility off on time or your sister. And I know you, Mac; you've always tried to dump big things like this off on your sister. Ellie isn't your minder; she can't take care of you forever."

I smiled. "I've decided to grow up and stop depending on my sister to make sure things happen in my life."

"Good," Herb replied. "Do you need anything else?"

I shook my head and left the office.

* * *

When I got back to Ellie's office, Jennie was sitting at Ellie's desk, twirling a pen. "Ellie and Jack went fishing," she informed me without looking up.

"Where did they go fishing?"

"I don't know. I just know Ellie left and a couple minutes later, Rammer came in and told me that they had gone fishing."

"And you believed him?"

She shrugged. "Well, yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"Vivian Jennifer McClanahan," I sighed. "Have I taught you nothing in the sixteen years we've been siblings?"

"You've taught me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," she replied with a shy smile.

"Ellie could have told you that," I retorted. "I thought I'd told you before that you should never listen to anything Michael Allan Ramsey says."

"His middle name is Allan?"

"His mother was weird," I replied. "Jennie, do you ever listen to me?"

"Umm," she thought for a minute. "Nope, I listen to Ellie a lot, though."

I sighed again. "You're annoying."

"Hey, I'm better than Kathie."

"That you are and I do love you," I told her.

"Why aren't you and Emily coming to Thanksgiving dinner?" she asked me, suddenly changing the topic.

"It's a long story," I replied.

"You can tell me."

"Promise you won't tell Mom or Kathie?"

"Promise."

"Emily's pregnant."

"What!" a voice said from behind me.

I turned around and saw Buzzy standing there. "Hey, Buzzy," I said softly.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Since when is Emily pregnant?"

"Since July," I said.

He nodded as Jennie said, "I should go now."

After my sister left the room, Buzzy looked at me. "What's going on?"

"Emily found out about two months ago that she's pregnant and I asked her to marry me last night. We're getting married after the baby comes."

He nodded. "Have you told Herb?"

"Yeah, he wants to kill me but he's going to give me a chance."

"That's good. Have you told your family yet?"

"I told Ellie and OC Friday night and I told Jennie today. I'm trying to avoid telling my mother until after the baby comes, maybe even until after the wedding. I figure she'll be happier about a new grandchild if Emily and I are married."

Buzzy shook his head. "Mac, you're crazy; she'll still figure out that Emily was pregnant before you got married."

"Yeah, but we'll be married when she finds out."

"It's not going to work, Mac."

"Yes it will."

* * *

**Ellie's POV**

Jack and I were sitting on floor with Heidi outside the locker room, talking about Rob and Emily. "Have you talked to Emily yet?"

I shook my head and leaned it against Jack's shoulder. "I want to, but I haven't."

"All you have to do is call her up," he said.

I smiled. "And what do I say to her?"

"Hey, Emily, it's Ellie?"

"But what do I say after that?"

Jack kissed my cheek. "How are you? You don't really need me to be your conversation coach; I thought you were supposed to be smarter than me."

I smiled. "Well, sometimes, I get stupid and I need you to take care of me."

"Oh, I can't believe that," he replied. "I can't believe that my darling Ellie could ever be stupid. After all, you're dating me; you're raising Heidi, and working for Herb all at the same time. You have to be a genius."

I kissed him. "You're the genius; you always know how to make me smile."

When we pulled apart, Heidi was fast at work at her new favorite activity, sitting up. I smiled at as she pulled herself up and sat up. Then she looked at us and beamed. Jack scooped her up in his lap and kissed her head. "That's wonderful, Heidi," he told her.

She grabbed at his hair and cooed. "Oh, Heidi," I sighed. "You really love Jack's hair, don't you?"

My little angel just smiled and cooed happily. I sighed happily and snuggled up against Jack while we waited for Robbie.

* * *

When I got home that night, I picked up the phone and called Emily. I still didn't know what to say to her, but I wanted to talk to her.

The phone rang for a while and then I heard Emily's familiar voice on the other end. "Hello?"

"Hey, Emily, it's Ellie." So far I was following Jack's script for me.

"Hey!" her voice instantly became cheerful. "Rob told me you know everything."

"And I'm here for you one-hundred percent," I told her. "I'm going to be the McClanahan who supports you guys in all of this."

"Unlike your mother," she muttered.

"Hey, don't worry about her. Rob and I will deal with her. Jack said he'll kill her for you if you can wait until after the Olympics."

She laughed. "Tell him I'll think about it, but murder for hire is illegal."

"He doesn't care," I replied.

"Hold on," Emily said. "Is Jack over there with you?"

"Yeah, he's playing with Heidi."

"Is he going to spend the night?"

"No," I said slowly. "We don't do that. Rammer's going to pick him up on his way back from Erin's."

"I just don't want you to end up in the situation I'm in. You're under enough stress as it is; you don't need to worry about being pregnant out of wedlock too."

"Emily, trust me I'm sure you can do this and Robbie's going to stick with you."

"Are you sure?" she said. She suddenly sounded sad and depressed.

"I'm positive. Emily, I know my brother and he loves you more than anything." I knew she was depressed. I knew it was part of being pregnant but I was worried about her. She was all by herself in that apartment.

"I guess you're right," she sighed.

"Well, I know I'm right," I told her. "I've known my brother since conception and I've never seen him as happy as he is now; you're making him happier than he's ever been before."

"Well, you're his sister, so you should know," she consented.

"Emily, tomorrow night we're getting together and we're going to have a long chat about all of this."

"Why not tonight?" she asked.

"Because I don't have anyone to baby-sit Heidi," I told her. "Jack is doing some Boston bonding with Rizzo, Silky, and Jimmy later tonight. But I'll get him to baby-sit tomorrow night and we can talk."

"All right," she said. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow night."

"I'll come over after practice."

"I'll see you then."

**

* * *

Jack's POV**

Somehow, I'm not quite sure how, but somehow Ellie convinced the only three people with nothing to do to baby-sit Heidi while she and Emily got together to talk. So guess who the three guys with nothing to do the Tuesday before Thanksgiving were? Mac, Buzzy, and me, that's who. Gayle was working late.

So, we found ourselves sitting in Mac's room with a diaper bag and a baby. "Okay, now what do we do with her?" Mac asked. He was holding his screaming niece in his arms.

"Give her to me," I said with a sigh, taking Heidi from her uncle's arms. "Hey, little angel, what's wrong? Are you hungry? Yeah, is that what's wrong?"

"Should I get her bottle out?" Buzzy asked.

"Yeah, that would be good," I told him.

A few minutes later, Heidi was happily drinking out of her bottle. She had her hand wrapped around one of my fingers and it made me smile. I loved that little baby more than anything except Ellie.

"So when she cries it means she's hungry?" Mac asked.

"Or that her diaper stinks or that she's just woken up from her nap," I told him.

"Why are babies so complicated?" Buzzy asked.

"Yeah, please tell me they come with an owner's manual," Mac said. "If not, I'm going to be so lost when my kid is born."

"Don't worry; you figure things out fairly quickly," I told him. "You figure out what everything means fairly quickly."

"Are you sure about that?" Mac asked.

"I'm positive."

"If you say so," Mac replied hesitantly.

* * *

Two hours later, things were the same as ever. Mac was getting more comfortable around his niece, but Buzzy seemed like he couldn't get comfortable around the little girl. "I can't figure out why she cries and sometimes she just smells terrible," he complained. "She's a sweet little kid, but I don't know what to do with her."

I smiled and hoped that Ellie and Emily were having a good time or whatever they needed to be doing that would force me to suffer like this with two people who knew little to nothing about babies. Don't get me wrong; Buzzy and Mac are great guys, but they know nothing about babies. Well, they do know the differences between boys and girls and the differences between the head and the rear end, so they aren't completely hopeless, just mostly hopeless.

I was sitting on the bed feeding Heidi when Buzzy asked, "Why does she like you so much?"

"Like all women, she is attracted to my charm and good looks," I told him.

"Oh that's how you won my sister's heart," Mac teased.

"Yep, she thinks I'm the most wonderful man ever born."

"Great, I was hoping I could off you before she fell in love with you and wanted to marry you."

"It's a little late for that," Buzzy said. "Ellie is head over heels for OC."

"Drat, ruin my perfect plan," Mac sighed. "Well, OC, take care of her. Take good care of my rosebud."

I was starting to wonder why I had agreed to spending Thanksgiving with the McClanahans if Mac wasn't going to be there. How was I going to survive the insanity of Kathie and Mrs. McClanahan without Mac? Well, hopefully, Ellie, Jennie, and Natalie would keep me safe. I knew Ellie would and her sisters seemed like they probably would. At least, they'd better.

A/N: Okay, so the next chapter will have the dreaded Thanksgiving. Please review.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

A/N: How many times do I have to tell you people that I don't own _Miracle_?

**Emador:** Well, maybe I'll do a chapter with them doing that at some point.

**Meadow567:** Yeah, I guess Herb is a second dad. But Patti is a lot nicer than Mrs. McClanahan.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Yeah, this will be an interesting chapter all right.

**StarrShyne:** yeah, the real Rizzo's a little old for you, but he has two sons who are like 16 and 20. But meatballs are yummy!

**Killerkeanegirl:** Yeah, she's going to grow up emotionally scared from that experience.

**Gilmoregirl:** Well, it's all right here.

**Klinoa:** Yeah, the Internet people are silly. Sometimes boys are just incompetent; plus, that was so much fun to write.

**Ellie's POV**

Thursday morning, I had to be ready to leave for my parents' house by noon. I was also picking up Jack and Rizzo on the way. Gabby would be meeting us at my parents' house. Gabby Pierce has been spending Thanksgiving with my family since freshman year of college; her parents spend the holiday in exotic locales. This year Mr. and Mrs. Pierce are spending Thanksgiving in Rome.

Emily called me around eleven and told me that we needed to talk. "What's up?" I asked her.

"None of my skirts fit me," she moaned.

"What about your dresses? Do any of them fit you?" I asked.

"I'll check and call you back."

"Okay."

* * *

I had an easier time finding clothes to wear than Emily. I took out a black dress that my mother had bought for me to wear the previous Christmas; thankfully, it still looked great on me. Heidi was wearing a pink baby dress that had once belonged to Annie O'Callahan-about seventeen years ago. True to her word, Mrs. O'Callahan had brought me a box of Annie's baby clothes when the boys played Harvard and she promised to bring more clothes to the Olympics. 

Emily called me back while I was dressing Heidi. "I found a dress that fits!" she squealed.

"That's wonderful," I told her. "What dress is it?"

"That navy blue dress I wore to Leah's wedding," she told me.

Leah was Emily's cousin who had gotten married back in April. "That dress looks great on you."

"I know. That's why I'm so happy that it still fits me and it doesn't make it that obvious that I'm pregnant."

"That's great. Well, I hope you and Robbie have a good time at your parents."

"I'd say the same thing to you, but I don't know if that's possible on your end."

I laughed. "I'll do my best. After all, Jack is coming."

"Well, you two kids behave yourselves," she teased.

"Oh, we will."

* * *

When I got to the dorms, Jack and Rizzo were waiting for me on the front steps. They came running over to the car when I pulled up at the curb. Jack opened the door and smiled at me. "Can we have a ride, ma'am? We're two poor lowly hockey players who really want to eat a nice meal for Thanksgiving dinner." 

"Get in and let's get going," I told him. "We don't want to be late; my mother is a stickler for punctuality."

"Who will be there?" Rizzo asked. "I mean besides us, Gabby, and your parents and siblings."

"My dad's family will be there; they're pretty decent people."

"How many people is that?"

"Probably somewhere between ten and twelve. My uncle Raymond and my Aunt Dorothy have three children. Charlotte is ten, Clarissa is eight, and Dennis is six. My aunt Victoria and my uncle Henry have five kids. Henry Jr. is twenty-one, Rose is nineteen, Donna is sixteen, Charles is fourteen, and David is twelve. I don't know if Henry and Rose will be there; it depends. Oh, and my mother's brother will be there with his family and my grandparents."

Jack gasped. "Are they like your mother?"

"My grandparents are, but my aunt and uncle aren't. My mother hates my aunt, but she has to invite her for family events because it's socially unacceptable to snub your siblings," I told them.

"What's wrong with your aunt?" Rizzo asked.

"She's Italian."

"Your aunt is Italian?" Jack gasped.

"And she's from Boston," I said with a smile. "Her name is Regina Alessandra Eusani-Hampton. She married my uncle Michael ten years ago when he lived in Detroit; they live in St. Paul now."

"Do they have any kids?" Rizzo asked.

"Yep, they have three little girls. Samantha is seven, Andrea is five, and Joanna is three. They're really sweet and incredibly cute."

Jack smiled. "What are your grandparents like?"

"Reginald and Helen Hampton are just like my mother, stupid and stuck in the past," I told him; letting the frustration I was feeling edge into my voice.

"Just jolly," Rizzo sighed.

"They're fine with Italians, but they think that all Irish people are drunks," I said. "Oh, Rizzo, my grandmother might ask you how the Corleones are; she thinks that everything that happens in movies is real."

"Oh wonderful," Rizzo sighed. "How would I know? I'm from Boston, not Brooklyn or Jersey."

"Just tell her that and she'll leave you alone," I told him. "Don't worry; she's a harmless old woman."

"I hope so," Jack said. "I really don't want people lecturing me about the drinking problem I don't have."

Rizzo gasped in fake horror. "You're Irish and you don't have a drinking problem? That's scandalous."

"I know," Jack said. "My mother wouldn't let me develop a drinking problem when I was younger and I never really wanted to develop one anyway."

"That's good," I told him. "I could never be with a man who had a drinking problem."

"Then why are you dating an Irishman?" Rizzo asked me from the backseat.

"Because the nighttime action with Irishmen is just astounding," I teased.

"Really? That's why you're dating me?" Jack asked, sounding shocked. "I thought you were dating me for my charm and good looks."

"Nope, those are just added bonuses," I told him with a teasing smile. "But I do love you."

He smiled at me. "And I love you."

Rizzo looked at the sleeping baby in the carseat next to him. "Heidi, I love you very much."

She sighed in her sleep and I laughed. "That means 'I love you too, Michael.'"

"Ellie, we probably shouldn't tell Gabby that she has some pretty strong competition from a six-month-old," Jack joked.

* * *

**Robbie's POV**

I rang the bell at the Sibleys' house and smiled at Emily. "Don't worry, sweetie. It'll be fine; they won't try to kill you or anything," I told her.

"I hope not," she whispered.

Just then, Mr. Sibley opened the door. "Robbie, Emily, it's great to see you. Come in!"

"Daddy!" Emily beamed, hugging her dad the minute we were in the house.

"Emily," he said with a smile. Then he hugged her. "Oh, Rob, Alex and Nathan are in the living room watching the football game. Emily, your mother is in the kitchen with Kate and Mara."

I went and joined Emily's older brother, Alex, and her older sister Kate's husband, Nathan, in the living room. "What's the score?" I asked.

"Detroit's up seven to nothing over Dallas," Nathan told me as I sat down.

"Great."

* * *

A few minutes later, Mr. Sibley walked into the room. "I was kicked out of the kitchen by my own wife and daughters." 

"Well, that's love for you," Nathan told him. "I've learned just to avoid the kitchen when Kate is cooking. Otherwise she tries to kill me for interfering and making a mess."

"That's my sister for you," Alex said. "Mara lets me help her cook sometimes. She's teaching me some things." Mara was Alex's wife.

"What about you, Rob?" Mr. Sibley asked. "Does my daughter ever let you help out in the kitchen?"

I laughed. "Emily let me in the kitchen? That's ridiculous. She says I'm fed well enough at the dorms that I don't need to come begging food from her."

"Doesn't she ever cook for you?" Alex asked.

"About once a week, but she says that Rizzo's a better cook than she is, so she doesn't see why I put up with her cooking."

"Don't you take her out to dinner?" Alex demanded.

"We do that at least once a week," I replied. "But lately, your sister hasn't been up for going out to dinner as much as we used to. We're staying in more often these days."

"Really?" Alex asked. "Emily used to always love going out for dinner."

"And she still does," I said. I felt a little bit awkward because I didn't know when Emily wanted to tell them about the baby, which was why we hadn't been going out for dinner lately.

* * *

Dinner started at three o'clock and as Mr. Sibley said grace, I said a silent prayer that my mother and grandparents would behave themselves during their celebrations. After all the food was served, Emily took my hand under the table and said, "Robbie and I have an announcement to make. He asked me to marry him on Sunday and I said yes; we're planning to get married this summer." 

"That's wonderful," Mrs. Sibley said.

"Congratulations," Kate told us.

"You're not going to be so happy when you hear why we're getting married," I said slowly. "In fact, you'll probably want to kill me."

"What's going on?" Alex, ever the protective older brother, asked.

"I'm pregnant," Emily whispered.

You could have heard a pin drop in the ensuing moments. Finally, Mrs. Sibley spoke. "When did this happen?"

"Well, I'm due in April, so I'd say sometime in July," my fiancée said softly.

"When do you two plan to get married?" Alex asked us.

"We were thinking June," I said.

Emily nodded and her father sighed. "Well, your mother and I will pay for the wedding. We'd be more than happy too."

"Your father's right," Mrs. Sibley said. "We're going to support you two throughout all of this."

"Just take good care of my precious baby sister," Alex told me. "But I'm going to help you two out. Goodness knows you two won't get much help from Rob's family."

"Ellie wants to help us," Emily said.

"Yeah, but she's the only one who will," Kate remarked. My experience had shown Katharine Elaine Sibley-Merchant to be a good friend but intensely cynical, very defensive of the people she loved, and extremely good at holding grudges. Once you were on her "hate list", it was incredibly hard to get back in her good graces. But she is an amazing ally; once she's on your side, she won't leave. (And I mean that in a good way.)

As I listened to my fiancée's family offer to help us during the next several months, I wondered what was happening at my parents' house.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

From the minute I walked in the McClanahan house, it was like being the middle of a war zone. Mrs. McClanahan was trying to avoid her husband's family and her brother's wife at all costs. Ellie and I ended up in her old bedroom playing with her younger cousins. Charlotte, Clarissa, and Dennis were playing Go Fish on Ellie's old bed while Ellie and I found ourselves playing dolls with Sam, Andie, and Jo. Heidi was sitting in my lap watching everything.

Andie looked at me. "Are you going to marry Ellie?"

"I don't know," I replied, looking into her big brown eyes. "I love her, but we're not sure if we're going to get married."

"You should," Sam told me. "I like you."

"You're not too bad yourself, kiddo," I told her.

"And since I like you, you should marry my cousin," she informed me.

"I'll see what I can do," was my reply.

Sam looked at Ellie. "Ellie, are you going to marry Jack?"

Ellie shrugged. "Probably, we love each other."

"Then why don't you just get married?" Andie asked.

"Because we haven't known each other long enough," she said. "We've only known each other for four months and Jack's busy with the Olympics. Maybe after the Olympics we can talk about getting married."

"Really?" I asked her.

"Sure," she told me. "But we'll keep that for after the Olympics."

Ellie confided in me that she was afraid that Jennie wouldn't be able to keep the secret. "She's never been good at keeping secrets, especially something this big," she said.

* * *

We were called down for dinner just then, but Ellie's words hung in my head until I heard Ellie's Grandmother Hampton ask, "So, why isn't Robbie here?" 

"He went to his girlfriend's parents' house," Mrs. McClanahan said. "Apparently, he prefers slumming with them to spending time with us."

"What a silly boy," Mrs. Hampton said.

"Emily's not just his girlfriend," Jennie burst out. "They got engaged on Sunday."

"Really?" Mrs. McClanahan asked. "How come I didn't hear about this?"

Ellie slammed her head into my shoulder as Jennie said, "It's supposed to be a secret because Emily is pregnant. She's due in April."

I felt the force of my girlfriend's head slamming in my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as I noticed that Kathie wasn't paying a lick of attention to what was happening around her. She was staring intently at Rizzo like there was nothing else in the world.

Ellie must have noticed the same thing because she barked, "Kathie, please pass the salad."

Nothing happened.

Again, Ellie said, "Pass the salad, Kathie."

And again, nothing happened.

"Katherine Patricia McClanahan," Ellie yelled. "Pass me the salad, now!"

"What? Huh?" Kathie mumbled. "What do you want, Ellie?"

"Could you please pass the salad?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," she said, passing Ellie the salad.

Rizzo looked at me and raised his eyebrows. I shrugged and sighed.

"Elizabeth," her mother barked.

"Yes, ma'am," Ellie answered meekly.

"Did you know about Robert and Emily's little surprise?" her mother demanded.

"Yes, ma'am," she said again.

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Robbie wasn't sure how to tell you and he wanted to tell you himself. But they wanted to wait until they knew how to tell you before they told you," Ellie told her mother firmly. "And besides, Mother, with the way you treat Rob and Emily, I have no idea why they would ever tell you to begin with."

"I am Robert's mother."

"You know, you might want to try actually behaving like a mother to him sometime," Ellie retorted.

"I do behave like his mother!"

"Really? When? Is it when you're insulting his girlfriend or his career choice? Or when you're insulting his clothes and hair or is there another time I don't know about? See, the way I look at it, Miranda, you've never been a mother to Rob or me in anyway except blood. Since the minute we were out of your body, we've just been annoyances to you," Ellie yelled. "I honestly don't know why on earth you'd ever want me around. I'm through with you and this house, for good." She stood up and picked up Heidi. "Come on, Jack; let's go. Dad, I hope I'll see you and the girls soon. Rizzo, Gabby, I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and Miranda, I feel nothing towards you; I don't have the time to waste on loving you or hating you."

"We're coming with you," Gabby said. "I don't want to stay here if you aren't." Gabby and Rizzo both stood up at the same time I did.

* * *

We were in the hall putting on our coats when Ellie's uncle Michael and Aunt Regina joined us with their children. "We're leaving too," Michael Hampton said. "You're right, Ellie. As long as your mother is the way she is, there's no point in being under this roof." 

Ellie smiled at them. "I'm sick of my mother and I have no reason to be under this roof anymore. I love my dad and my sisters, but I can't stay under this roof as long as she treats Jack and Emily like they're second class citizens. I'm out of here."

With that, she walked out the door and I followed her out. The minute we were out the door, she said, "Jack, you're driving."

"All right." I found out why she wanted me to drive as I was pulling out of her parents' driveway. Ellie started crying. Not just crying, sobbing like her heart was breaking. "What's wrong, Ellie-bear?" I whispered.

"I can't believe it finally did it," she sobbed. "I finally told my mother what I felt. I finally told her that I wanted her out of my life."

"And that was very brave of you," I told her. "I'm proud of you for standing up to your mother."

"But I'm scared," she whimpered.

"Of what?"

"I don't know," she sobbed.

* * *

When we reached Ellie's apartment, I settled Heidi in her playpen and sat down next to Ellie on the couch. "You were very brave, sweetie," I told her. 

She smiled. "Thanks. I still can't believe I actually said all that stuff to my mom."

"But you said it. You threw it out in the universe and you can't take it back. When I was a little kid, my mom used to squeeze toothpaste all over a plate and then she would try to put it back in the tube. It never worked."

"Yeah, what's the point?"

"Your words are like that toothpaste. Once you say them, you can't take them back. And I, for one, am glad you said all those things. I'm glad you stood up for yourself."

"And it didn't hurt that I stood up for you too," she teased me.

"No, that's true and I'm glad you did that," I said, before kissing her.

"Hey, I love you; why wouldn't I stand up for you?"

"Because I'm a drunk Irishman from Boston?"

"No you aren't," Ellie said. "You may be an Irishman from Boston, but you sure as heck aren't drunk. I've smelled your breath before."

"How do you know I don't use mints?"

"Honey, I love you, but when I kiss you, I do not detect a hint of minty freshness."

"Excuse me," I said in mock disgust. "My breath is not disgusting."

"I never said you have disgusting breath," she replied. "I just said it doesn't smell like mints."

"What does it smell like?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she replied coyly.

A/N: Please review! I hope you liked it. More reactions to the baby and Ellie walking out of her parents' house will come in the next chapter.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

A/N: Do I look/sound like I own _Miracle_?

**Miraclegirl:** Staying up till 6:30 am? Tsk-tsk, that sounds like something I would do. I'm so glad this is one of your favorites.

**Klinoa:** You'll see what happens.

**Meadow567:** Mrs. McClanahan's reality check is going to be intense and cruel.

**Darkdestiny2000:** You'll see what happens.

**Swim90:** It **was** sweet!

**Ellie's POV**

_I was sitting behind the bench watching my boys play the Soviet Union. Herb calls them his boys, but really they're mine. I wash their laundry, clean their dishes, make them clean their rooms, and did a million other motherly things for them. When the game ended and my boys had won, I started screaming and hugging everyone near me. Jack picked me up and swung me around in circles. "I love you," he yelled in my ear, yet I could barely hear him._

_"I love you too," I replied. I looked up into the stands and saw Gayle Schneider holding Heidi. Gayle waved Heidi's arm at us and we waved back. _

_"I love her too," Jack said. _

_"Who, Gayle? I think Buzz will kill you for that one."_

_"I love Heidi, you dork." Then he kissed me. "And I love you, too."_

_"You're pretty amazing yourself."_

_"And I want to marry you," he said, getting down on one knee. "Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, will you marry me?"_

_I gasped and threw myself into his arms. "Oh my gosh, yes! Yes, I'll marry you."_

_He kissed me. "Ellie, you're making me the happiest man in the world."_

_"Oh, well, it's the least I can do for the man I love."_

_"Plus she feels sorry for your mother," Silky said, skating over to us. "Your mother wants grandchildren and Ellie figures this is the only way it would happen."_

_"Silky, shut up!" I said, slapping him. "I love Jack more than you could ever comprehend in your pea brain."_

_"Oh, that hurt," he moaned._

Just then I woke up and looked around. I was someplace cold, but it wasn't an ice rink; it was my bedroom. And it was freezing cold. The wind was banging the windows and Heidi was screaming. I picked up Heidi and went to the thermostat; it said the temperature was seventy degrees and I did not believe that.

After Heidi was settled with her bottle, I started looked for more blankets. In the morning, I'd call my super and see if there was something wrong with my furnace. But in the meantime, I was going to see if the munchkin and I could get some sleep.

**

* * *

Jack's POV**

_It was over; it was all over. We still had one more game to play, but we'd beaten the Soviets; that was the hard part. Whoever came next would be easier to beat. I looked at the bench and saw my Ellie. She was beaming with joy and Mac was spinning his sister around in circles. Mac, who was becoming the most responsible guy on team, was acting like a crazy little boy who had just found out he had won all the free candy he could carry. I skated over to them. "Can I borrow my girlfriend?"_

_Mac picked his sister up and handed her to me. "She's all yours. Take good care of her."_

_I smiled and kissed her cheek. "Hey, baby."_

_She kissed me on the lips. "Hi, superstar, it seems to me congratulations are in order."_

_"Aw, we couldn't have done it without our beautiful physical therapist. Every time we got hurt, you were right there to make sure we got better."_

_She smiled at me. "I was just doing my job."_

_"Well," I told her. "I appreciated that more than you can imagine. Having the woman I love with me every step of the way meant more to me than you'll ever know."_

_"I enjoyed it too," she replied. "The past seven months have been absolutely amazing."_

_"I know," I replied. "I can't tell you how amazing being with you has been." She gasped as I got down on one knee. "I don't have the ring with me right now, but I have a question I really want to ask you. Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, will you do me the great honor of becoming Elizabeth Grace O'Callahan and spending the rest of your life as my wife?"_

_She gasped again and stared at me. "Are you serious?"_

_I nodded. "As I can be."_

_"Then, yes," Ellie told me with a smile. She wrapped her arms around my neck and grinned. "I'd be absolutely thrilled to marry you."_

_I picked her up and kissed her. "Thank you," I whispered as I set her down. "I don't deserve you."_

_She just smiled. _

I woke up just then and looked around. I was not in an ice arena but in my dorm room with Rizzo snoring. I laughed; we were leaving for Wisconsin in the morning to play the IHL All Stars and once again, Mac and I would be rooming with the Snoring Twins again. Of course, we'd eventually find our way to Ellie's room and spend the night with her; Mac would make me sleep where he was sure I couldn't get need Ellie, but I didn't care. I understood where Mac was coming from and I was willing to respect his wishes.

**

* * *

Ellie's POV **

Jack, Heidi, and I were sitting together on a bus taking us to Wisconsin. All the boys had someone to sit next to except Timmy Harrer; all the boys were avoiding him and I couldn't blame them. They were all fighting for spots on the team and Tim was an intruder, at least in their minds. Every guy on the team, except for Jimmy and Jannie, was at risk of losing his spot on the team to Timmy.

I leaned my head against Jack's shoulder and sighed. "Something wrong, sweetheart?" he asked.

"I'm worried about Rizzo," I replied. "This whole thing with Timmy is really affecting him both as a player and as a person. He's just so upset all the time."

Jack nodded and wrapped his arm around me. As I snuggled up against him, he said, "I know what you're talking about. He isn't his usual chipper self."

"Chipper? You mean peppy, annoying, and nosey?" I joked.

"Hey, you're talking about my best friend," he said, pretending to be offended.

"And I'm your girlfriend, so you should be nice to me."

He rubbed his nose against mine and smiled. "Yeah, I should. After all, I do love you more than anything."

"More than anything?" I asked, shocked.

"Except maybe God," he conceded.

"All right, you're allowed to love God more than me, and maybe your mother," I told him. "But no other girls; I have to be your number one girl."

"Well, Heidi's my number two," he said with that amazing Jack smile.

"Works for me," I replied, before kissing him.

"Mac! Your sister's kissing OC!" Johnson yelled from the seat across the aisle from us.

"I'm warning you, OC!" Robbie yelled. "You treat my sister right or I'm going to cook you, kill you, and eat your for breakfast. And yes I am planning to cook you alive."

"Great," OC moaned. "Your brother wants to kill me. Why did I fall in love with you?"

"My surpassing beauty overwhelmed your senses and you become my doting slave eternally," I replied with a smile.

"Yes, I'm sure that was it," he replied. "Doll, I love you, but I think it was your personality that made me love you. Don't get me wrong; you're beautiful, but it was your strength, passion, and integrity that really made me love you."

I smiled; that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me. "Hey, Ellie, what do you love best about OC?" Silky asked from his seat next to Johnson.

"The sex," I joked.

"John Patrick O'Callahan!" Robbie bellowed from his seat. "I'm going to neuter you when we get to the hotel!"

"I'm just kidding!" I yelled. "Robbie, I'm still a virgin; I can still wear white on my wedding day."

"You'd better be!" Robbie called. "I don't want you and Jack to end up where Emily and I are right now."

"Ah yes, the ever protective older brother," Bah murmured. "Boys, never mess with a girl who has a brother like Mac. The brother will kill you if you so much as look at his sister wrong."

"Protective older brothers are an absolute necessity when you have a beautiful younger sister," Rizzo said. "I speak from years of experience."

"You have a beautiful sister?" Bah asked. "How come I never met her?"

"Because she's fifteen years old," Jack answered. "Rizzo's younger sister, Maria, was a surprise and she's almost ten years younger than him."

"Is she pretty?" Bah asked again.

"She's fifteen!" I told him. "That's only slightly illegal."

"And incredibly disgusting," Jack added. "Can't you find a girl closer to your own age?"

"With his looks he ought to," I said without thinking.

"You think Bah's hot?" my boyfriend asked me.

"You think I'm hot?" the sheep in question asked.

"You're good looking," I blundered. "And you're a nice guy, but you're not my type."

"What is your type?" Rizzo asked.

"Sweet Irish Boston boys with blue eyes and light brown hair who make you smile just by looking at you," I replied. "Boys named Jack O'Callahan."

Jack smiled and kissed me. "I love you so much."

"OC, leave my sister alone for five minutes!" Rob yelled from his seat.

"But we're in love!" Jack yelled back.

"Who cares about love?" was my brother's response.

**

* * *

Jack's POV**

We played the IHL All-Stars and won. Herb coddled Tim and completely ignored Rizzo. Ellie was shooting Herb evil looks for over half the game; I had to laugh because I don't even think he noticed her once. Everyone was subdued in the locker room and on the bus on the way back to St. Paul. We stopped at a restaurant near midnight and we decided as a team that a few of us should confront Herb about Tim. Rammer suggested we have a "Boston boy," a Minnesotan, and one of the boys from somewhere else. Silky said Rizzo should go too because he was the most likely to get cut if Tim hung around.

"But who should go with Rizzo?" I asked.

"Mac," Jimmy suggested. "Herb likes him."

"And OC," Jannie said. "He's good at arguing."

"Who else?" Johnson asked.

"You," Mac, Rizzo, and I all said at once.

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because you're from Wisconsin and you spoke first," I said.

A few minutes later, we told Craig we wanted to talk to Herb. Herb met the four of us outside the bus.

I spoke first because I have a big mouth and I do things like that. "This is crazy, Herb. Bringing him in this late."

Mac picked up on my train of thought. "We've got parents buying tickets. Getting rooms. What are we supposed to tell them? And with one of us going home as it is..."

Herb had to try to twist our words and this became obvious as he spoke. "I guess I don't have to ask where you stand on this, do I, Rizzo?"

Mac, however, wasn't going to let that happen. "This wasn't Rizzo's idea," he protested firmly.  
"You want me to say, "I'm scared of getting cut?" I'm scared of getting cut. Everyone is," Rizzo added.

"We just want it to be fair, Herb." I had to say that; I couldn't let Herb go after one of my oldest friends.

Herb replied harshly, "Don't try to tell me what's fair. He was right back there with us in Colorado."

Rizzo came back with "That was six months ago!"

But that wasn't good enough for Herb. He had to remind us that we weren't nearly as smart as he was. "And you don't think he's been playing for the last six months?"

Well, Rizzo wanted to fight with Herb. "Not with us he hasn't!" His quiet nature was abandoned for his love of the team.

Herb was ready for Rizzo's challenge and had one of his own. "So?"

Rizzo kept fighting for what he believed in, as usual. "So there's a difference!" he yelled.

Herb could yell too. "Like hell there is! All I know is that that kid can flat out play!"

Okay that hurt and I had to stand up for Rizzo, for all of us. "What and we can't?"

Herb needed to protect his darling. "He's got great vision on the ice..." he said, but we weren't convinced.

"That's not the point!" Mac protested.

Herb wasn't done trying to destroy us. "You know what else he's got? He's got the attitude I want on and off the ice, so somebody here better tell me why I shouldn't be giving him a hell of a look!"

The silent Wisconsin decided to talk. "Because we're a family!"

"What?" Herb was shocked, absolutely shocked.

Mark persisted. "We're a family."

"And this is the family you want to go to Lake Placid with?" Herb asked us, still shocked.

We all answered in the affirmative and Herb agreed to cut Tim. Then we got back on the bus and headed home.

* * *

When we got home, it was about seven-thirty in the morning. We had driven through the night to make sure that we didn't have to spend two nights in a hotel. Emily was in the parking lot with her car. Mac rushed over to her the minute he was off the bus. He picked her up and spun her around, kissing her all the while. Ellie smiled. "They're so cute together." 

"What and we aren't?" I asked her.

"Not in the same way," she replied. "We're still dating and this is a young relationship. They've been together for two and a half years; we've been together for five months. They have the old, lived-in relationship cuteness; we have the new and exciting relationship cuteness."

I smiled at her and was about to say something when Mac ran over to us. "Ellie, Emily needs to talk to you."

"About what?" Ellie asked.

"Mother darling called her last night looking for you," Mac replied.

"Oh no," my girlfriend moaned. "Honey, I'll be back in a bit."

**

* * *

Ellie's POV**

The minute Rob said that Mom had called Emily looking for me I knew something was wrong. I hurried over to Emily. "Why on earth did my mother call you?"

She sighed and rested her hands on her small, but still obviously swollen, belly. "She was looking for you."

"Rob told me that," I replied. "But why?"

"At first, I thought she just wanted to be stupid and annoying, but it turns out she needs your help with something."

"My **mother** needs **my** help?" I asked. "Whatever for?"

"It involves your sisters or something," she replied. "She didn't really say."

"So, I should just call her when I got home?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

I nodded. "Well, I suppose I should go home and call my mother."

"That's so adult of you," Robbie said, coming up behind me.

I smiled. "Thank you. I try."

"So, you're not going to hang around with Jack all day?" Emily asked me.

"I'd love to, but I probably need to deal with the maternal situation," I told her.

Rob smiled. "It's going to take some explaining to convince OC to spend a day apart from you."

"I think he understands how twisted our family is," I replied.

"He'd better if he's going to date you," Emily said.

"So true, so true," Robbie said as I walked over to my very understanding boyfriend.

Jack did understand and I went home and called my mother. It wasn't even nine and she was already drunk. Her words were slurred and she kept hiccupping. I just did not understand that about my mother; she insulted Irish people and accused Jack of being drunk constantly, but she was the one who was constantly drunk.

"Eleeshabeeth," she moaned when I told her who I was. "Dahling, your daddy doesn't love me anymoah."

I smiled to myself and wondered how long it had been since my dad had loved her, but then I collected myself. "How do you know he doesn't love you anymore?"

"Because last night he threatened to move out and take Vivian Jennifer and Natalie with him."

I dropped the phone on the floor and screamed.

A/N: Please review.

A/N2: I have relatives who are alcoholics and I am not using Mrs. McClanahan's problem to make her comic relief of any sort. She has a very serious problem and she needs help, lots of help. (I say this because her alcoholism is going to come into play heavily in the next few chapters.)


	16. Chapter Sixteen

A/N: I don't own _Miracle_, which is quite obvious by my intense level of poverty, which was only increased by the fact that my prom date is so poor he couldn't afford to pay for my ticket. I really want to thank everyone who reviewed.

**Klinoa:** Wait and see; wait and see. (And you may have to wait quite a while because I'm a busy little girl.)

**Emador:** Don't worry; I'm pretty busy so I understand. Thanks for the advice and the review.

**Meadow567:** Maybe, you'll just have to wait and see. But I loved that line too.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Probably

**Vickitori:** I'm sorry; I just closed a play and I had two AP tests, the SAT, and prom this past weekend.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Mrs. McClanahan is based on a very close, beloved relative, so I do feel sorry for her, but I understand where you're coming from. Yeah, I have three protective older brothers who inspired Mac and Mark. Plus, three of my friends at school act a lot like them.

**CandieBabie30:** Thanks for the review. I'm sorry the update took so long to update.

**Shelbers:** Where did I go? I went to school, the SAT, the AP US History test, the AP Biology test, prom, church, and to the theatre to work on the production of _Oklahoma_ I was doing tech work on.

**Staceygirl:** I'm a busy woman.

**Ellie's POV**

I picked the phone up off the floor. "Mother, did you just say that Dad's threatening to leave you?"

"He's says I'm a drunk," she slurred from the other end of the phone. I seriously doubted that she even realized that I'd dropped the phone. "And he says he can't be married to a drunk. Lizzie, doll, tell your father I'm not a drunk."

"I'll think about it and see what I can do," I told her. "I'm not sure that Dad will listen to me. He's probably made up his mind already and he's not likely to change his mind. And besides, he'll let you keep Kathie; we all know she's your favorite." I knew there was malice in my voice as I said that last bit and I didn't care.

"Oh, darling, you know that I love all of you equally. It's just that Kathie does what I tell her to do; she's not as stubborn as you and your brother are. You're so stubborn, just like your father. I can't understand that. How did that happen to me?" I could hear her pouring another drink. It was either a martini, scotch on the rocks, or wine; those were the only things she ever drank in the morning.

"I don't know," I muttered. It was nine o'clock in the morning, I was tired, and Heidi wanted attention. This was one person I didn't want to be talking to, not now especially.

"Lizzie, you know I love you," my mother slurred and I sighed. When she was drunk and trying to win my affections, she would say anything. My mother is what you might call a functioning alcoholic. For the most part she can be pissed out of her head and still behave like a reasonable person, but when she starts mixing different kinds of liquor, things just go to hell in a hand basket. I really needed Jack.

Heidi took a long nap that afternoon and I was bored, so I took out my ballet slippers, leotard, and skirt and found a record I wanted to dance to. I was spinning and leaping around the living room when the doorbell rang. "Just a minute," I yelled before I turned off the record player and ran to the door. Kathie was standing there.

"I took the bus," she said walking in without asking my permission.

"What do you want?" I gasped.

"Dad's leaving Mother," she announced, thinking she was dropping a bombshell.

"I know," I said nonchalantly. "She called me about it this morning."

"Elizabeth, you've got to help her," she sighed. "She needs you. You can't let their marriage crumble."

"I can't?" I asked. "Katherine, I've sat by and watched that marriage crumble for twenty-two years. There's not much I can do at this point. I can admit that Mom wasn't cut out to be a mother; that's true. Dad isn't around much; I'll admit that one too. If they both wanted to work at this, they could still fix their marriage, but neither one of them wants to fix this marriage anymore. Mom just wants to stay with Dad for his money and Dad would only stay with her because of you kids. This marriage is over and done with, and it has been for a long time."

"But you've got to help them," she whined. "They need to stay together until I graduate from high school."

"Kathie, that's another six years together; they've already been through twenty-four years together."

"But then they'll have been married for thirty years," she protested.

"If they wanted to stay married for thirty years, they would fight for this marriage. But they're not going to do it. They've had it with each other; the marriage is over."

"But they still love each other," she insisted.

"No they don't," I said sadly. It was so hard for me to admit to myself that my parents' marriage was finished but I knew it was true. My mother's drinking had frustrated my father for years and it had finally driven him away; he wanted her out of his life.

"People can be married without love," Kathie suggested.

"Not happily," I replied. "I'm sorry, kiddo, but it's true. They would grow to hate each other over time and it would destroy them. When a marriage dies, you have to let it go."

"What if you marry Jack and then your marriage dies?" she asked me.

I looked at my sister and thought about what she asked me. What would I do if I was married to Jack and then our marriage fell apart? "I'd die," I whispered.

_"Ellie, I'm sorry," Jack said softly. "I love you so much."_

_"She's twenty-two years old, Jack. That's more than half my age. What were you thinking? Were you thinking? Can you control yourself at all?" Once I started saying things to him, I couldn't stop. "Why did you do this? Why did you do this to me, to our children?"_

_"I don't know why I did it," he whispered, sinking into the bed. "I wasn't thinking. I thought I…I don't know what I thought."_

_I looked at him. "You thought you loved her. She's younger than me, prettier than me, thinner than me. She hasn't had five kids, your five children. She isn't fifty years old. Jack, I'm sorry that I'm not as perfect as you'd like, but I thought that the last twenty-six years actually meant something to you."_

_"I'm sorry," he said again. "And I do love you more than ever. Ellie, she's nothing like you. You're a million times more amazing than she could ever be. You're the mother of my children."_

_"So is she," I muttered. He'd gotten that little Barbie pregnant. _

_"Ellie, we've been married for twenty-six years and we've been together for twenty-eight. We have six children together. I spent four months with her, and I never was as happy with her as I am when I'm with you."_

_"She made you happy enough that you got in the sack with her," I retorted. _

_"I'll go to counseling; I'll do anything you want to me to do. I want to save our marriage." Jack was crying and I knew he was serious, but I also couldn't trust him._

_"So do I, but I don't know if I can trust you anymore. You cheated on me, Jack, and you got your little Barbie pregnant. You have to take responsibility for your other child."_

_"I'll do what I have to, but I'm going to fight for our marriage. I'm not going to let Kylie ruin things."_

_"She's pregnant. I wish that baby could be mine," I sobbed. "I haven't had a baby in seventeen years. She doesn't even want that baby but I want it. I know I'm fifty years old, but I want to have one more baby. I want to be pregnant!"_

_"Oh, Ellie," Jack cried out as he pulled me into his chest. "I'm so sorry."_

_"I want that baby," I wailed again._

_"I'll see if she'll carry it to term and then let us adopt it."_

_"I want to be pregnant," I sobbed._

_"Aren't you too old?" he whispered._

_"Oh, right remind me of another way I'm not like that Barbie. She can get pregnant, but I can't."_

I woke up just then. I was still twenty-two and single. Jack was nowhere in sight and as I far as I knew he wasn't cheating on me. But I still had problems. My parents were getting divorced, my sisters were lost and confused, my brother's fiancée was pregnant, and I had no clue what my family was going to do for Christmas, which was two weeks away. Oh, and I had to clue what to give Jack for Christmas.

Yep, life was great, absolutely great.

**Jack's POV**

_I picked Mary up and kissed the three-year-old's cheek. "All right, Maribelle, let's get you up to bed."_

_"But, Daddy, I'm not tired," she whined. _

_"Maribelle," I said. "It's Christmas Eve and Santa won't come unless you're asleep."_

_"But Heidi, Stephen, and Davie aren't in bed," she pointed out. "Why do I have to go to bed?"_

_"They are going to bed soon," I told her. Davie was five, Stephen was seven, and Heidi was ten. Our baby, Anna, was fourteen months old. Mary's full name was Mary Isabelle and my mother had nicknamed her "Maribelle" about ten minutes after she was born. _

_"But why do I have to go to bed before them?" she whined. _

_"Because," I replied._

_"Why because for?" she asked. _

_"Because I'm the daddy and if I say go to bed, you go to bed," I told her. _

_"But I want to stay up and wait for Santa."_

_"Mary, stop whining and just go to bed," Heidi said, walking into the room. "Christmas morning always comes a lot faster if you go to bed."_

_Mary looked at her older sister and sighed. "Will you put me to bed?"_

_Heidi smiled. "Sure, but I'm just going to **help** Daddy put you to bed."_

_"Fine," Mary consented. She reached her little arms out to her older sister. "But only if Heidi carries me upstairs."_

_I handed my three-year-old to my ten-year-old and smiled. Heidi settled her little sister on her hip. The two girls looked so much alike; someone who didn't know them would never know that they weren't related. They both had dark brown hair. They had fair skin and were petite. And they were my little princesses. _

_When Heidi, Mary, and I got upstairs, Ellie was in Mary and Anna's room, rocking the little girl to sleep. She smiled at me and I smiled back. After eight years of marriage and four children, I'd discovered that I couldn't live without my Ellie. She was my light and my music. And the fact that she was the mother of my children only made me love her more. "You're beautiful," I told her as Heidi led Mary over to the dresser. _

_"Ah, well, you're not so bad looking yourself," she replied. _

_"That's all you can say about me?" _

_She thought about it for a moment and shrugged. "You have a nice nose."_

_"I have a nice nose?" _

_"Yep; Stevie and Mary both inherited it. Davie and Anna have my nose, which is rather unfortunate." If Davie and Anna did have Ellie's nose, it was impossible to tell except for in pictures of Ellie as a child. When she was nineteen, Robbie had hit her in the nose with a hockey puck and broken her nose. (A/N: This is all based my very nastily broken nose, but I fell off the kitchen counter when I was two.)_

_"I love your nose," I said, kissing her nose. "It's a cute nose with a delicate bump in it that suits you."_

_"Yeah, well watch out or it'll match the bump in your head."_

_I stuck out my lower lip as Mary started trying to climb me. "Daddy, weed me a thowie." _

_I sat down on the floor and settled her on my lap. "Mary, can you go get me 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'?"_

_She nodded and ran downstairs to where we kept a book of Christmas stories for children. My mother had given it to Ellie Christmas, 1979. After being in our family for the past ten years the book was tattered and some of the pages were ripped, but our children loved it and they wouldn't hear of our getting rid of the book, not even if Ellie and I promised to get a new copy of the book. _

_I looked up at Ellie holding our baby. Just then Heidi dropped the book in my lap and Mary screamed. _

I woke up just then to the realization no one was screaming. Rizzo was snoring loud enough to wake the dead, but what else was new? That was how I woke up every morning-to the sound of a crazy Italian from Boston snoring.

**Robbie's POV**

_"Emily, wake up; the baby's crying," I said, shaking my wife._

_She mumbled something incoherent and rolled over. _

_"Emily, the baby wants you," I repeated. _

_"But I'm tired," she moaned. _

_"Honey, this is our baby were talking about."_

_"I don't care," she whined. "I want to sleep."_

_"Emily, Meghan needs you. She's hungry."_

_"Fine," Emily sighed getting out of bed and going to the baby's room to feed her. Meghan Joy Sibley-McClanahan was our now eight-month-old daughter. She had been born in late April, two months after the Olympics. She had my brown hair and eyes, but Emily's bright smile was her most stunning feature. She was beautiful, my little princess._

_Emily and I had tied the knot in August when the little princess was four months old. My psycho twin sister had followed her heart and Jack to Chicago in June; Ellie was crazy about Jack and he was even more nuts about her. They were so in love and he had asked her to marry him on their one-year anniversary; they were getting married in June. Jack promised me that their children would all be conceived after the wedding. _

_Emily came back into the room with Meghan in her arms and sat down next to me. "She's a hungry little girl tonight," my wife said with a sigh. _

_"She's a beautiful little girl," I said. _

_"And she's ours," Emily replied. "She's our beautiful little princess."_

_Some days I couldn't believe all of it was real. In the past year, I had been in the Olympics, seen the birth of my first child, and married the love of my life. Now it was almost Christmas and it seemed like there was no gift that could make me happier than the woman sitting next to me and the little girl in her arms. Meghan's birth and marrying Emily had been the two most amazing events of my life. I couldn't have been happier. But if I had to pick the best Christmas of my life it would have been last Christmas when I was with Emily, Ellie, and the guys for some of the best memories of my life._

I woke up then because my alarm was going off. Rammer was throwing things at it but most of them were missing and hitting me. "Rammer, cut it out," I yelled, throwing his shoes back at him.

"Tell your retarded alarm that it's Christmas Eve and we don't have practice today. We're going over to Doc's for dinner and Herb got a soul so we have today and tomorrow off."

"I have to go see Emily," I said.

"Why?"

"Because she's my fiancée and I'm going to marry her after she has my baby."

"Well, then I'm glad Erin doesn't want to see me at eight o'clock in the morning," Rammer mumbled.

"Emily has a doctor's appointment at nine that I'm going to with her," I explained.

"Well, have fun with that," Rammer said before rolling over and going back to sleep. In some ways I envied him. He was young and carefree. He was in love with Erin and they were just enjoying their relationship, just having fun. Of course, Emily and I had been "just having fun" when she got pregnant, so…

I picked Emily up from her apartment at eight-thirty. "Why did you have to schedule a doctor's appointment for nine o'clock in Christmas Eve? Why is your doctor's office even open on Christmas Eve?" I asked her as I pulled into the parking lot.

"Because Dr. Rosen is Jewish and doesn't believe in Christmas," Emily explained. "And my appointment is on Christmas Eve because I'm not working today. This is one of the only days off I'm getting until April. My boss isn't crazy about my pregnancy and he isn't giving me much time off until my maternity leave in April."

"Well, Rammer's mad at me for waking him up this morning with my alarm."

"Tell him I'm sorry and this will all be over in two long months."

I smiled at her. "All of what?"

"That hockey crap," she said.

"Hockey crap?"

"Yep," she said.

I knew she was teasing but it still wasn't nice to call my favorite sport crap. "That's what I do for a living."

"Well, get a new job after the Olympics," she said.

"Or you could get used to the fact that you're in love with a hockey player."

"And I agreed to marry you for some reason."

"I think it was because you love me."

She kissed me as I turned the car off. "You are pretty amazing."

"So are you," I replied, giving her a kiss.

"We should go in now," she said.

"Okay." I nodded.

After we left the doctor's office, where they told us we're going to have a healthy baby, Emily asked me what I wanted to name the baby. "I was thinking we could each come up with one name for a boy and one for a girl," she told me.

"I hadn't really thought about it," I told her. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I was thinking about Logan David for a boy and Ashley Marie for a girl," she said. "But I'm not quite sure about Ashley for a girl."

I hate the name Ashley; it's a long story, but I hate the name. It has to do with this girl who was in my American Lit class in high school. We were reading Gone with the Wind but she was a girl named Ashley, so it was a little weird. I decided to tell her about the baby's name in my dream. "Actually, I was thinking about Meghan Joy for a girl," I told her.

"Meghan Joy McClanahan," she said, letting it roll around on her tongue. "I like it. What do you think about Logan David?"

"It's a good name," I said. "Logan David Sibley-McClanahan, it has a good sound to it."

She smiled, and then stopped short. "Sibley-McClanahan? Our kids are going to just be McClanahans; we're getting married this summer and we'll all be McClanahans."

I smiled at her. "That's wonderful. I thought you would want the baby to have a hyphenated last name since we aren't getting married until after the birth."

"No," she said. "We are getting married; we don't need to be worried about things like that."

"You're an amazing woman," I told her.

**Jack's POV** (yeah, I bet you guys completely forgot that this story is all about him and Ellie; Emily and Robbie are just for fun.)

The whole team plus Ellie, Heidi, Herb, and Craig was invited to Doc's house for dinner on Christmas Eve. Instead of everyone getting everyone else a present, we each picked a name and we had to get a present for that person. I had picked Coach Craig, and I bought him a multi-colored whistle in honor of that wonderful night in Norway.

Rizzo had bought me a fake cigar. "You're practically a father already," he said. "And when a man becomes a father, he's traditionally given a cigar. Well, no one ever gave you a cigar to celebrate Heidi coming into your life, so here you go."

I smiled and laughed. After Herb left, Silky and Rammer stood up. "We have something for Heidi and Ellie," Silky said, pulling a bag out from under the tree.

"Heidi has become our little princess over the past few months," Rammer added. "And we really love her, so we decided to get her something. Don't worry, Ellie; Erin and Nina picked it out for us." Then he handed a wrapped box to Ellie.

She wrapped it and opened the box to reveal a pink teddy bear with a big white ribbon around its neck. Heidi immediately grabbed it and squealed as Ellie laughed and said, "Thank you boys. And tell Erin and Nina thanks for me too."

"And we got you something to," Rammer said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's something you've always wanted," Silky told her.

"We're going to hire someone to kill Jack for you," Jimmy said.

"Thanks a lot, boys," she said. "But I'm really not interested."

"What if we buy you a dog?" Silky suggested. "Would that replace Jack?"

"Nope, no dog could ever replace the man of my dreams."

I kissed her for that. "I love you," I whispered in her ear and she smiled.

"This is for you," Rammer said, handing her a box. "Nina and Gabby picked it out."

She opened it to reveal a necklace. "It's a locket," she said, lifting it up. She opened it. "Oh my gosh! Look, Jack," she said beaming and showing it to me. "They put a picture of you and a picture of Heidi in it."

I smiled as I looked at the pictures. "This is a really nice gift," I said. "Guys, why did you get the girls serious gifts?"

Silky sank into the chair next to Ellie and said, "We love your girlfriend and we only want the best for her, which is why we're trying to find her a new boyfriend, someone who will treat her better."

"Who could treat me better than Jack?" Ellie asked.

"Prince Charles of England," Jimmy suggested.

"He's ugly," was my girlfriend's reply. "Jack's so much better looking and I love him more than I could ever love some ugly British prince."

I kissed her again. "You are the most amazing woman in the world and I adore you."

"I love you too," she replied, kissing me.

"There are young impressionable children present," Rizzo yelled.

"That's never stopped you from sucking Gabby's lips off in front of me," I retorted.

"Well, that's different; you're used to that kind of thing," he told me. "You do it with Ellie all the time."

"We're in love, Michael," Ellie said. "Although love is something you know nothing about."

"I'm in love with Gabby," he protested.

"Let's play some football!" I yelled to stop the argument.

Everyone else seemed to like the idea and we all ran out to play. Ellie stayed in the house to help Doc's wife, Velta, with the dishes. "And," she told me as I tried to convince her to come outside. "I need to get Heidi to sleep. It's not good for her to stay up much later."

I kissed her neck. "Well, just as long as I get you to myself tomorrow."

Tomorrow, it was just going to be Ellie, Heidi, Emily, Mac, Jennie, Natalie, Mr. McClanahan, and me. Kathie and Mrs. McClanahan would be someplace else; Ellie didn't know or care where. And all I cared about was being with the love of my life.

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long to write, but I've been busy. Please review! I can't believe there's a new Pope! Well, he's been the Pope for almost four weeks, but still… I'm so happy! (I'm a conservative Catholic so Pope Benedict XVI is one of my favorite people ever!)


	17. Chapter Seventeen

A/N: I still don't own _Miracle_. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

**Staceygirl:** Jack is never going to cheat on Ellie; that's just her fears of her marriage falling apart the way her parents' marriage did manifesting itself. (It's all very psychological.)

**Darkdestiny2000:** I know it's not Ellie's job to preserve her parents' marriage. Mr. McClanahan has every right to leave that marriage because it isn't a marriage anymore; it's a societal farce. (Sorry, I'm really into psychology these days and it's spilling over into ALL of my writing.) I understand how this stuff gets to you I'm glad you like the dreams; they're fun to write.

**Emador:** Don't hold your breath waiting or you'll die because you might be waiting for a long time again.

**Miraclegirl:** I get these things up as fast as I can but I am a very busy little girl.

**Meadow567:** I'm glad you liked it. You're going to put this on your site? That's awesome!

**Ellie's POV**

Christmas was interesting to say the least. Robbie, Emily, my dad, Jennie, Natalie, and Jack came over to my apartment for dinner. Mom and Kathie would be spending the holiday somewhere else. I didn't know or care where they were.

I could tell that Jennie and Natalie were trying to have a good time but they were nervous and confused. This was the first Christmas without Mom and Kathie and since Mom and Dad's separation had only come a few weeks earlier, we were all a little worried about what to say/do around Dad. No one was going to mention Mom or Kathie around Dad but we weren't sure what else we were supposed to do. The whole situation was a little weird.

Jack and Robbie showed up first with meatballs from Rizzo. "He's spending the day with Gabby's family, but he decided to send something along for your table too," Jack told me before kissing my cheek and placing the dish of meatballs in my hands.

Robbie looked at me. "He made me carry all the presents." He showed me two grocery bags filled with bright wrapped packages.

"You poor baby," I replied. "Now go put them under the tree."

He moaned and stuck out his lower lip. "Yes, ma'am."

"That's my good boy," I teased as I headed off to the kitchen.

I was in the kitchen stirring the mashed potatoes when Jack walked in carrying Heidi. "She's a princess," he whispered. "You know, she turns me in to such a softie whenever I even just look at her. She takes me from being this big macho guy to someone who just wants to hold her in my arms and coo at her."

I laughed and kissed him. "You know, my brother says I'm a princess."

He shook his head. "I think you're a queen," he said before kissing me again.

"Emily's here!" Robbie yelled from the living room.

I went out into the living room to find my brother kissing his fiancée, his pregnant fiancée. I was glad that my mother wasn't here for that family event; I couldn't even imagine what she would have to say about that.

Emily pulled away from Rob and came to me. "You look great," I told her with a hug. "You really do."

She smiled. "Thanks."

Jack was holding Heidi on his hip, and Emily went over to him. She tickled Heidi's foot and Jack smiled at Emily. Emily had told me once that being around Jack, Jimmy, and Rizzo always made her a little uncomfortable because she knew they had all grown up in Catholic families and Catholics looked down on out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Emily just nodded and went back to Robbie.

"I should probably get back to my mashed potatoes," I said. "Rob, let me know when Dad and the girls get here, would you? Jack, can you help me in the kitchen?"

Rob nodded and Jack followed me into the kitchen. "What should I do?"

"Give those two some alone time. You can make your spaghetti and cream of chicken soup thing," I told him.

"That's Mrs. Eruzione's spaghetti and cream of chicken soup thing," he protested.

"No it's not. I asked Rizzo about it once and he said that you made it up once when the only food the two of you had in your dorm was spaghetti noodles and a can of cream of chicken soup." I smiled slyly at him. "I'm on to you John Patrick O'Callahan."

"Oh really, Elizabeth Grace McClanahan? You're onto me?"

"I know your tricks, you little rascal. Now help with dinner."

He put Heidi in her playpen and started cooking. He was filling a pot with water when he stopped and looked at me. "Emily's scared of me, isn't she?"

I nodded.

"Why?"

"You were raised Catholic and she thinks you think she's going to hell for getting pregnant before she got married."

Jack nodded and put the pot on the stove. "As a Catholic I was also trained to believe in mercy and compassion."

"She's scared," I told him. "She's scared of everyone. Just because her parents are accepting this doesn't mean that other people are. The minister at her parents' church all but told her she's going to hell."

I sighed. "I hate judgmental people."

"So do I," he said. "I know I'm Catholic but that doesn't mean I go around saying that people are going to hell."

I smiled and changed the subject. "What would today be like if you were spending it with your family?"

"It'd be insane," he started. "We'd be at my grandparents' house and all my cousins would be there."

"Which side of the family?"

"My mom's family, they're Irish too," he said. "My mom and all my aunts would be in the kitchen cooking up a storm while our dads would be talking and arguing."

"What would you be doing?"

"Probably playing football with my cousins and James or helping Annie watch the little cousins."

"How many cousins do you have?"

"Like thirty on my mom's side and twenty on my dad's side, my mom is one of eight kids and my dad's one of five."

"So it's one big Irish-Catholic family?"

He nodded. "Intensely, we all go to Midnight Mass together on Christmas Eve."

I smiled. The night before Rizzo, Jimmy, Silky, and Jack had gone to Midnight Mass together and dragged me along with them. It had been a very beautiful experience and I wanted to go with them again next year but who knew where we'd all be next year? Atlanta was after Jimmy, Chicago was after Jack, and who knew where Rizzo and Silky would be?

Jack kissed my neck and started stirring the cream of chicken soup. "Do you ever think about where we'll be in a year?" he asked without looking at me.

"Well, hopefully, you'll be in Chicago playing hockey and I'll probably be here working at a hospital or a rehab facility somewhere nearby," I told him sadly. I didn't want to be separated from him-ever.

"What if you and Heidi come to Chicago with me?" he asked tentatively.

"Then I'd have to get a new license to practice in Illinois," I said.

"But would you come with me?" he asked. "Would you leave your family for me?"

"Chicago is just a train ride or a plane ride from here," I told him. "It wouldn't be that hard for me to come up here to visit my family a couple of times a year. We could have an apartment in Chicago and a house in Minneapolis or Boston. We could work things out."

"Does that mean you want to come to Chicago with me?" He had dropped the spoon; he was watching me with bated breath.

I nodded. "After Chicago signs you, Heidi and I will move to Chicago and get an apartment."

He kissed me. "I love you so much, princess."

I kissed him and smiled. "I love you too."

**Jack's POV**

I was holding Ellie in my arms when someone knocked on the door. I didn't move an inch; I knew Rob or Emily would get it. I wasn't ready to let go of Ellie just yet. She had just told me she would come to Chicago with me. I was the happiest man in the world at that moment.

Someone cleared his or her throat just then. "Ellie, Jack," Mac said. "Dad and the girls are here. Come say hello and cut the romance. Jack, let go of my sister."

I let go of Ellie and watched her as she picked up Heidi. Then we went into the living room where Rob, Emily, Mr. McClanahan, Natalie, and Jennie were waiting. I could never believe how little Natalie and Jennie looked like Ellie and Mac. Ellie and Mac both had dark brown hair and brown eyes; their younger sisters had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ellie!" Natalie squealed running to her sister.

Ellie gave Natalie a one-armed hug. "Natalie," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she said. "It's weird living in a different house without all of Mom's precious staff, but I like it. No one bosses me around all the time. After school, Jennie just drives me home and we just hang around until Dad gets home."

"Who cooks dinner?" Ellie asked.

"Dad or me," Jennie said walking over to us. "I'm only good with canned soup or macaroni and cheese, but I'm trying to learn."

"Jack knows some good recipes he could teach you," Ellie said, shooting a teasing look at me. I just smiled at her.

"Jack," Jennie said turning to me. "Are you treating Ellie well?"

I laughed. "Rob would kill me if I didn't."

Ellie smiled. "So, Jennie, how are things with you and Adam?"

"Oh, we only went out on that one date," she said casually. "He's gorgeous and everything, but he's not much of a conversationalist."

"But she's dating someone new now," Natalie announced.

"Who?" Mac asked.

"When do we get to meet him?" Mr. McClanahan asked.

"His name is Charlie Fabian," Jennie said. "And he's the smartest guy in my Algebra class."

"Is he a conversationalist?" I asked.

"He's okay," Jennie said. "He's not Robbie or you, but he's not Adam either."

"When do we get to meet him?" Mr. McClanahan asked again.

"I'm not sure I want him to meet you just yet."

"I've met him," Natalie pointed out.

"Then the rest of the family should meet him," Ellie said. "I'd like to know who my sister is dating."

Jennie had a look of genuine fear in her eyes. "But you'll scare him off. Jack and Robbie, they'll scare him. He doesn't like big scary boys."

"Big scary boys?" Emily queried.

Jennie nodded. "Charlie is about Ellie's height."

Now, Ellie isn't short-for a woman. She's about five-foot-four, but a guy that height is really short.

"He's kind of geeky looking," Natalie said. "He has curly brown hair and big glasses. He's a real geek and not cute at all."

"Being cute isn't everything," Emily told the fourteen-year-old. "Sometimes you have to look inside a person to see their real beauty."

Ellie looked at me. "We should check on dinner," she said softly.

"I'll come with you," Mr. McClanahan told us. "I'd like to help."

And so we left Rob and Emily in the living room with Jennie and Natalie.

An hour later, we sat down at the table for Christmas dinner. Mr. McClanahan sat at the head of the table and Ellie took the foot. I sat on her right and Heidi was in her high chair at her mother's left. Mac was sitting to his father's right and Emily was between Mac and Heidi. Jennie was sitting at her father's left and Natalie was between Jennie and me.

"What's that?" Natalie said pointing to the bowl of pasta and cream of chicken soup.

"That is my specialty," I told her. "It's pasta and cream of chicken soup."

"It looks like worms, worms covered in slime," she remarked.

"It's delicious," Ellie said quickly.

"It looks gross," was Natalie's reply.

"I think it looks good," Jennie interjected. "What do you think, Dad?"

"I'm willing to try anything," he said. "And if you girls like it, maybe Jack will give me the recipe so I can take over more of the cooking from Jennie."

"But it looks gross," Natalie protested. "When we lived with Mom, we never would have eaten food like this."

"When we lived with Mom, life sucked other than having a chef who was trained in France," Jennie pointed out. "I mean did you really enjoy watching her get drunk everyday? Did you really enjoy being forced to participate in beauty pageants? Did you really enjoy being bossed around incessantly? Was life really that great when we lived with Mom?"

Natalie shrugged. "We always had good food to eat."

"But was it worth it just for the food?" Ellie asked. "You could come live with me and you'd have good food, but would it be worth living away from both your parents?"

Again, Natalie just shrugged her shoulders. I was beginning to discover that she didn't think for herself very much. Ellie had once told me that Natalie was always either very selfish or doing whatever Jennie did. It bugged Ellie to no end and it was beginning to drive me to distraction as well. I was starting to get to know Jennie and Natalie pretty well because they were spending Thursdays with Ellie so their dad could have some alone time.

I looked at Natalie and spoke carefully. "Natalie, you're fourteen. You're going to have to start developing opinions someday. Why not start now? Learn the facts about your mother and make decisions for yourself about her. You don't have to leave your mother's home unless you want to. Your father and Jennie left because they disagree with your mother's lifestyle. Why did you leave?"

"Because she scares me and I didn't want to live without Jennie," Natalie said shyly. "She's the only who I'm really close to and I didn't want to have to stay in that house with just Mother and Kathie."

"Why?" her father asked her.

"She gets mad and yells," Natalie said softly. "Then she drinks more and throws things." She shook her head. "It scares me and I don't like it."

I smiled at her as Ellie said, "Then you don't have to go back there. You can stay with Dad and keep coming to see me on Thursdays."

"I don't want to see Mother ever again," Natalie whispered. She was crying now. "She hurts people."

Ellie went over to Natalie and hugged her. "It's going to be okay," she whispered in her ear and squeezed her shoulder.

I looked around at the McClanahan family; they had dysfunctional written all over them. I'd never figured out how Mac and Ellie had turned out to be such sane and normal people considering what their family was like.

Emily was five months pregnant and engaged to Mac, who promised to marry her after the baby was born. Heidi was adopted because her father didn't care about her and her mother was druggie. Mr. McClanahan had left his wife because she was an alcoholic. Jennie and Natalie were living with the consequences of that.

They made my family seem so normal. I hated to even think that, but it was true. My parents had been happily married for twenty-four years. James and Annie were a little weird sometimes, but all in all, we were a pretty close family. I really needed to call them after dinner.

**Ellie's POV**

After dinner, Jack and I were in the kitchen together. He was calling his family to wish them a merry Christmas and I was washing the dishes. I smiled as I heard him teasing his younger brother about his new girlfriend. "Come on, James, you know you want to tell me all about her," he said. "Is she pretty? What's her name?"

After about five minutes of him getting nowhere with James, I grabbed the phone from Jack. "Let me deal with this," I told my boyfriend. "Hey, James, it's Ellie."

"Hey, Ellie," my boyfriend's brother said. "How are you?"

"I'm pretty good. My family's over for Christmas and your brother has been keeping me very happy," I told him.

"Eww," he mumbled and I laughed.

"So, how's your Christmas going?"

"It's pretty good," he said. "I got lots of money, which is good."

"That's good. So, anything else new in your life?"

"Not really."

"Your mom said you have a new girlfriend."

"Yeah," he said.

I nodded. "How'd you meet her?"

"School," was all James said.

"That's great."

"Actually, my roommate introduced us," he added.

"Awesome," I said with a smile. "Is she pretty?"

"Yeah," he said softly. "She's the most beautiful woman in the world."

"What does she look like?"

"She has brown hair and blue eyes," he started. "She's short and skinny, like you. And she's a dance major! Ellie, you have to meet her."

"Bring her to the Olympics," I told him. "What's her name?"

"Nora O'Brien, she's Irish," he told me. "And I promise you I will bring her to the Olympics. I told her about Jack and you and Heidi; she can't wait to me you all. She's met Annie and my parents and she really wants to meet you three, so I'm bringing her with me to Lake Placid."

"That's awesome. Jack and I can't wait to meet her. Do you want to talk to your brother again?"

"Yeah, plus I think Ma wants to talk to him again. Say, when are you two getting married?"

"Jack hasn't asked me yet," was my reply.

"Well, when is he going to?" James asked.

"Good-bye, James. I'll talk to you later," I said, handing Jack the phone. "James wants to talk to you. And be warned; your mother should invest in some psychiatric help for your brother."

Jack laughed. "Jamie, what are you telling my girlfriend? You asked her when we're getting married? James, I swear you need to start minding your own business."

I smiled as I washed the dishes. Jack and James were really close and Jack loved teasing his younger brother. "Look, I'll marry her when I'm good and ready," Jack said. "And watch out, that may be sooner than you think."

I think he'd forgotten I was in the room, but hearing that shocked me. Jack had thought about marriage? I knew I'd thought about it plenty of times, but I was a woman and I had Heidi to take care of; in some ways, I had to think about marriage. I had to provide a stable environment for Heidi. I couldn't have boyfriends coming and going all the time.

When he got off the phone, Jack looked at me. "So, James asked me when we're getting married."

"He asked me the same question."

"I told him I didn't know because I hadn't asked you yet," he told me.

"Are you going to ask me?"

"Someday, but not yet," he said.

"Why not?" I asked him. I wanted to marry him.

"I'm waiting for the perfect moment to surprise you," he told me.

A/N: Okay, please review! I hope you liked it. The next chapter is going to be the last one before MSG and the Olympics.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

A/N: I still don't own _Miracle_. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

**Darkdestiny2000:** Yeah, I feel sorry for them too. I'm glad you loved that chapter; it took me forever to write.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Yeah, I know exactly what and when the perfect moment will be and I'm not telling anyone what's going to happen. But you guys can guess…

**Icesk8er:** You'll see what's coming when I post this. It's getting interesting, if I do say so myself. (I love your story.)

**Meadow567:** Hey, take your time with the site. I'm patient. I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Prettypinkcheer5:** I'm so glad you liked it. I'll try to update more frequently now that I'm out of school.

**Jack's POV**

The Thursday after New Year's, 1980, I walked into Ellie's apartment. Heidi had been running a temperature for the past few days, so Ellie hadn't been at practice that day. I found Ellie sitting on the couch reading a book. "How was practice?" she asked without looking up.

"How'd you know it was me?" I asked.

"Natalie and Jennie are in the kitchen doing their homework and you're the only other person who has a key to the apartment," she said. "Well, actually, it's Rob's key but you borrow it all the time."

I sat down next to her and kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied. "Now back to my original question, how was practice?"

"Not so good," I said slowly, thinking of how to tell her what had happened. "Coach has his final twenty now."

"Whom did he cut?" she asked. I think she knew already because I'm pretty sure Herb tells her things like this ahead of time, but she wanted me to tell her. That girl has taken way too many psychology classes.

"Coxie," I told her. "I'm glad it's not Rizzo, but I still wish that Herb didn't have to cut anyone."

"And I'm sure Herb wishes the same thing," she said softly. "Cutting Coxie couldn't have been easy for you. But I'm just glad he didn't cut you."

I hugged her and ran my fingers through her dark brown hair. "So am I. This whole experience has been a dream come true for me. I'm going to represent my country in the Olympics and I met the girl of my dreams."

"When's dinner?" one of Ellie's sisters yelled from the kitchen. "We're hungry."

"We should feed them," Ellie said. "But I don't want to move."

"I could order pizza," I suggested.

"That'd be great. Go ask the girls what they want and the phone is in the kitchen." She smiled at me. "Thanks honey."

I went into the kitchen where Jennie and Natalie were doing homework. "Jack, did you ever take algebra?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you know how to do this problem?" she asked, shoving her book at me. "It's number seventeen."

I looked at the book. "Yeah, just a minute, I need to order pizza and then I'll help you."

"What kind of pizza are you getting?" Jennie asked.

"What do you want?"

"Pepperoni," Natalie said.

"I want cheese," Jennie said.

"I'll order one pepperoni and two cheese," I told them. After I ordered the pizza, I went back to Natalie's math book. "Did you do anything like this in class?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention today."

"Okay, you're supposed to factor the equation and solve for x," I told her.

"But how?" she asked.

"Watch and learn," I told her and began writing.

2x²-6x+60

"First you have to set the equation equal to zero."

She nodded. "Then what do you do?"

"Then you factor it," I said.

"But how?"

"Watch me," I told her.

(2x-3)(x-2)0

"Then you set both parts of the equation equal to zero."

(2x-3)0 and (x-2)0

3 3 +2 +2

2x3 and x2

"So x equals two and 2x equals three?" she asked.

"Divide both sides of two x equals three by two," I told her.

"So, x equals two or two-thirds?"

I nodded. "Exactly."

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Natalie asked.

"If I weren't playing hockey, I'd be a stock broker," I told her. "So I studied a lot of math in college."

"Do you know how to do derivatives?" Jennie asked.

"Yep, are you studying those?"

"Nope, but some of my friends are and they were talking about them today when I was by Charlie's locker."

"So when do we get to meet Charlie?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I told you on Christmas. I'm worried that you and Rob might scare him."

"Why would we scare him? We told you we'd behave ourselves."

"I know, but he's kind of nervous about meeting you because you're a hockey player. Plus, Ellie has such a good relationship with you that I'm afraid you two might intimidate him."

I laughed. "If you bring him over here sometime, Ellie and I will behave ourselves. We won't be scary or anything."

"Can I invite him over for pizza now?"

"Go ask your sister; she's in charge." I loved doing that, forcing Ellie to make all the important decisions. After all, it was her apartment and they were her sisters. If we were married and had children of our own, I would have to help make decisions, but for now, I could shove the decision-making off on Ellie.

Jennie came back into the room a few minutes later. "Ellie wants to know what time the pizza will be here," she said.

"In about twenty or thirty minutes," I told her.

"Okay," she said. Then she turned around and ran out of the room again.

She came back again a few minutes later. "Ellie says I can invite Charlie over for dinner as long as I introduce him to Rob and Emily sometime very soon."

"The phone's by the refrigerator," was my reply.

"Okay," she bubbled.

**Ellie's POV**

Charlie and the pizza arrived at about the same time. Charlie was short, about my height, with curly brown hair, blue eyes, and thick glasses. The pizza came in cardboard boxes, was nice and warm, and smelled delicious. Based on first impressions, I liked the pizza better, but then I was hungry and I already had a boyfriend.

"Jennie, Charlie's here!" I yelled after I let him in.

She ran in squealing, "Charlie!"

He smiled and hugged her. "Jennie, how are you?"

"I'm good," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," he told her. "Homework's been keeping me pretty busy though."

"I'm sorry," she replied.

I smiled and shook my head as Jack came in. He shrugged and wrapped his arm around me. I cleared my throat and my sister jumped.

"Oh, Charlie, this is my sister, Ellie; Ellie, this is Charlie," Jennie said quickly.

I shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Charlie. We've heard a lot about you."

Jennie blushed as Charlie said, "It's nice to meet you, too, Miss McClanahan."

Miss McClanahan, that was one I rarely heard. Even when I was teaching ballet, ice skating, or piano most of my students called me Ellie. "Call me Ellie; Miss McClanahan makes me feel old."

"Umm, okay, Miss McClanahan," he said. This boy was not going to get it.

"Charlie, this is Ellie's boyfriend, Jack O'Callahan. Jack, this is Charlie Fabian," Jennie said.

Charlie shook Jack's hand tentatively; he seemed a little scared of Jack, who was at least six or seven inches taller than him. "It's nice to meet you, Charlie," Jack said.

"Nice to meet you too, sir," Charlie said in a shaky voice.

Just then, Heidi started crying. "I'll get her," Jack said.

I looked up at him. "Really?"

"It's time I took some responsibility for her," he said. "I am the closest thing she has to a father after all." Then he went to bedroom to get the baby.

"That's the first time he's ever done that," I said softly, more to myself than anything. Jennie and Charlie didn't seem to notice that I'd said anything and I took the pizza into the kitchen.

I was setting the table when Jack walked into the kitchen carrying Heidi on his hip. "Heidi, tell Mommy what I did. Tell her how I changed your diaper and you were good," he said. "Tell Mommy what a good job Daddy did taking care of you."

_Daddy_, the word rang in my ears. He was calling himself her daddy. I smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you so much for everything, Heidi, the pizza, helping the girls, just everything," I choked out. I was going to cry over something as simple as Jack calling himself Heidi's daddy.

He gave me a one-armed hug. "I love you and Heidi. We're a family; that's what families do. They take care of each other."

"I know, but you're being so good to Heidi and me."

"I love you," he said. "That's why I do this."

"I love you too," I told him.

Dinner was an interesting meal. Charlie wolfed down three pieces of pizza all while watching Jack out of the corner of his eye. "So, Charlie, how long have you known Jennie?" I asked.

"Well, we've gone to school together forever, but we just started dating about a month ago," Charlie answered nervously.

"What's your family like?" Jack asked.

Charlie almost jumped at the sound of Jack's voice. Then he said, "I live with my parents and my older brothers are in college. Geoff is eighteen and Jonathan is twenty. Am I going to have to meet Jennie's older brother someday?"

"Yeah, Rob really wants to meet you," Natalie said. "He likes to meet all our boyfriends. Well, he met Jack before Ellie did and he met Jannie before she did. She had to introduce him to Todd and I can't remember which one of them met Peter first."

"Ellie dated someone named Jannie?" Charlie asked.

"Steven Janaszak," I said. "He was the goalie for U of M and now he's the backup goalie for the Olympic team."

"Oh, okay." Then he went back to shoving pizza down his throat. For a short, skinny kid, he sure ate a lot. He must have a fast metabolism or something.

After dinner, Charlie took Jennie and Natalie home. Normally, Dad picked them up, but Charlie called him to tell him that he wanted to take the girls home. Dad agreed only because he wanted to meet Charlie.

Jack, Heidi, and I had the apartment to ourselves. "What do you want to do now?" Jack asked me after the kids left.

"I don't know. I was thinking we could wash the dishes," I told him.

"You're no fun," he whined.

"All right, I'll wash the dishes and you can play with Heidi."

"I guess I can do that," he consented.

Jack was sitting on the floor playing with Heidi while I washed the dishes. "I have a question I've been wanting to ask you."

"What's up?"

"When you were younger did anyone ever call you anything besides Ellie?"

"Umm, my parents called me Elizabeth when I was born."

"Did they ever call you anything other else? Anything like Liz or Beth?"

"Not really, Rob started calling me Ellie when we were like two and it just stuck," I said. "I tried being Beth for a while in sixth grade, but I'd been Ellie for so long that nothing else really worked for me."

"Nothing else really seems to fit you," he said. "You're just Ellie."

"Thank you, I think," I replied.

"It's a compliment," he told me.

"Then thank you."

He smiled. "You're very welcome."

Later that evening, we were sitting on the couch when Jack asked me another question. "Do you want to have children?"

"I have Heidi already," I said.

"Besides Heidi though, do you want any more children?"

"Yeah."

"How many more?"

"Probably like three or four more, how many do you want?"

He shrugged. "I always thought like four kids, maybe five."

"Does that include Heidi?" I asked.

Jack smiled and nodded. I kissed him; I couldn't resist that.

**Jack's POV**

As January progressed, practices became more and more intense. Ellie and Doc constantly had their hands full with sore players. I was always exhausted, so Ellie and I spent most of our time together watching movies or just talking. Some days I barely had the strength to hold Heidi I was so sore.

I kept asking Ellie questions about marriage and family; I was looking for information. I was planning to ask her to marry me sometime in the next few weeks, probably during the Olympics.

One night, about a week before we were to play the Soviets at Madison Square Gardens, I was laying the couch watching Heidi sleep on my chest when I asked Ellie what I considered to be a very important question. "If you could have named Heidi, what would you have named her?"

"You mean instead of Heidi Louise?" she asked me.

"Yep."

She shrugged. "I've never thought about that."

"Okay, what do you want to name your next daughter?"

"Not after my mother," she replied hesitantly.

"Okay, so Miranda is out, but what's in?"

She limply shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I have this theory that when I see my babies, I'll know what to name them."

I smiled at her. "I hope so. Otherwise, you're going to have some nameless kids."

"I'll think of something to name them," she told me.

_"Heidi, where are you going?" Ellie asked our sixteen-year-old daughter as she headed out the door._

_"I'm just going to the mall with Cora and Becky," she said. "And don't worry, Dad, we didn't invite any boys."_

_"What time will you be home?" I asked. Ellie and I were in the kitchen of our suburban Chicago home. _

_"By midnight," Heidi said. _

_"Try again, young lady," I told her. "You might want to shoot for ten-thirty, eleven at the latest."_

_"But Daddy, it's a Friday night," she protested._

_"And you're sixteen," Ellie replied. "We're your parents and we've decided that your curfew is eleven."_

_"Mom, I can drive now!" _

_"You drive a car that your father and I bought for you. We gave it to you, we pay the insurance, we can take it away from you when we see fit. Heidi, I don't want to get all totalitarian dictator with you, but if we have to, we will."_

_"You two are so retarded!" Heidi yelled. "Cora's dad is letting her stay out until midnight!"_

_"We're not Cora's parents; we're your parents," I replied. _

_"Actually, you're not," she retorted. "You two just adopted me and raised me because my biological parents were losers. How do you know they aren't normal people now? They might have changed. You two sure haven't; you seem to think this is still the fifties."_

_Ellie sighed and I knew she was going to tell Heidi about Ron and Julie. "Heidi, I have to tell you something you're not going to like. Ron died in a car accident about five years ago."_

_"Well, there's still Julie," Heidi retorted._

_"No, she's been in and out of prison for drug use, child abuse, and theft for the past sixteen years," Ellie said. "You have three half-siblings all of whom have been in foster care for years. The option of living with Julie is simply not available."_

_"She was sentenced to twenty years in prison about a year ago," I told my daughter. _

_Heidi's eyes went from my face to my wife's face and back again. "Are you two being honest?"_

_We both nodded. "Fine," she moaned. "I'll be home by eleven."_

_"You'd better be," Ellie said as Heidi headed for the door. "The mall closes at nine."_

_"Oh Mom," Heidi sighed and Ellie laughed. _

_Later that evening, Ellie and I had to get our younger children to bed. Thirteen-year-old Stephen was good about helping get the younger three to bed. Our youngest, seven-year-old Anna, always put up a fight. "I'm not going to bed" was her rallying cry._

_Nine-year-old Mary was good about going to bed unless Heidi wasn't home. Then she put up a fight for hours. _

_Eleven-year-old David conflicted with us on bedtimes but usually, he gave up the fight pretty quickly. _

_Ellie was pregnant again; that was definitely a surprise. It was like we woke up one morning and boom, she was pregnant. She had wondered how that could happen when it had been seven years since Anna was born. I reminded her that she was only thirty-eight and still capable of getting pregnant for another ten years or so. She was due in February and things in the O'Callahan house were getting pretty miserable, especially when Heidi wasn't home. When Heidi was home, Mary and Anna went to bed much more easily. I don't know why. Maybe it's because they knew she wouldn't be waking them up at some ungodly hour when she got home from wherever she had gone. _

_Ellie had already gone upstairs when Heidi got home. "Where's Mom?" she asked the minute she came in the door._

_"She's due in six weeks. Where do you think she is?" I said without looking up from the paper. _

_"In bed, sound asleep like she's been since she put the little girls to bed," Heidi said with a smile. _

_I nodded. "She's been like that with every pregnancy. It was the worst with David and Stephen."_

_"I remember," she said, sitting down next to me. "When she was pregnant with David, all she did was sleep."_

_And eat, I thought, and complain about how fat she was. I loved her though. I didn't know what I was supposed to say to Heidi's comment so I just kept reading the paper. _

_"I'm sorry for what I said to you and Mom earlier," Heidi said. "I never really ever wanted to go live with Ron or Julie. I just said that because I was mad at you and Mom. You're the only parents I've ever wanted."_

_I nodded. "I forgive you."_

_"Thanks," she said, hugging me._

_"But you're really going to have to talk to your mother," I told her. "And apologize to her. She isn't someone to be toyed with like that. You have to realize how badly Julie hurt her when she left you with her and ran off to get high."_

_"All right, I'll talk to her in the morning," Heidi said reluctantly. "Dad, did you ever meet Ron or Julie?"_

_"I met Ron once about ten years ago. He was in Chicago for a business meeting and he stopped by for dinner to meet you."_

_"How come I don't remember this?"_

_"Your Aunt Emily had just had Katrina and so you were with your mom in St. Paul visiting the baby."_

_"Didn't he ever try to meet me again?" Heidi asked. "I am his daughter, after all."_

_"I told him that you were in St. Paul with your mother and your brothers, but you'd be back on Friday, or whatever day you were coming home. He said okay and I never heard from him again."_

_She nodded. "Do you think he really cared about me?"_

_"I hope so," I told her. "But I don't know."_

_Heidi kissed my cheek. "You're the best dad a girl could wish for."_

I woke up just then because Rizzo was shaking me. "Come on, Jack, we're leaving for New York in six hours."

"But I don't want to get up," I moaned.

"You can sit next to Ellie for the whole plane ride," Rizzo offered.

"Fine, just let me sleep. Go bother Gabby or something."

"Get out of bed and then I'll go see Gabby." Rizzo had been dating Gabby Pierce for almost five months now and he had fallen head over heels for her. She wasn't coming to the game at Madison Square Garden because she couldn't get the time off from work.

I climbed out of bed. "Now will you leave me alone?"

"Sure," my insane roommate replied and left the room.

A few minutes later, Bah walked into the room. "Can I hide in here?"

"Why?" I asked him.

"Nina's in my room saying good-bye to Johnson and it's getting a little uncomfortable."

"Make yourself at home," I told him. Whenever Johnson was with his girlfriend, Nina Marshall, things got a little iffy. "Is Nessa coming to see you off?"

"Yeah, probably." Vanessa Taylor and Bah were perfectly suited to each other. She was everything he wasn't, talkative, rambunctious, and not monosyllabic.

"Why wouldn't she come to see you off?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "No clue. She loves me."

I smiled. "Did she tell you that?"

"Last night when I took her out to dinner."

"Well then, congratulations," I said, clapping him on the back. "That's great."

"Thanks. When are you going to ask Ellie to marry you?" he asked me. "You've had the ring for ages now."

"Bah, I just bought the ring last weekend," I said. "I asked her father's permission but I think I'm going to ask Mac too."

"You're going to ask Mac and Ellie to marry you? Is that legal?"

I was starting to understand why they called this guy "Bah"; he's about as stupid as a sheep. "No, Bah, I'm not going to ask Mac and Ellie to marry me, and doing that would be illegal. I'm going to ask both Mr. McClanahan and Mac to give me their permission and blessing to ask Ellie to marry me."

"Are you serious? You're really serious about this girl," Bah exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm serious about her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a shower and get dressed."

"Hey, don't let me stand in your way."

"Thanks."

After I was all "cleaned up" as Ellie would say, I went to Mac's room and knocked on his door. "Who is it?" he yelled.

"OC," I replied.

"Come in," he replied.

"Hey," I said walking into the room. Mac was the only one there; he was packing his stuff. We wouldn't be coming back to St. Paul after MSG. We were going straight to the Games. Whoa, we were leaving St. Paul for good today; well, this was the last time I'd live here, most likely.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I need to ask you something."

"Sure, go ahead."

"I'm planning on asking Ellie to marry me after the Games are over," I said slowly. "And I wanted your permission before I did it. I met your dad for dinner on Sunday night and he gave me his blessing, but I want your blessing too. You're her twin brother and you two are closer to each other than any siblings I've ever met before."

"You're going to ask my twin to marry you?" Mac asked me. "And you want my permission?"

I nodded. "If you'll give it."

"Will I give you my permission?" he asked exuberantly. "Not only that, I'll give you my blessing. Congratulations, man; welcome to the family."

"You're serious?"

"Dude, my sister is in love with you. If you want to ask her to marry you, God bless you both and give you two a long, happy marriage together. And may God help you and protect you from my sister's wrath."

"Thank you so much."

Mac shrugged. "Hey, my twin sister is in love with you. What else could I do? Welcome to the family. And get my sister the heck away from my mother."

All I could do was smile.

A/N: Okay, so that was a long one. Please review! He's not going to propose to her for a while.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate it. And I still don't own _Miracle_. I think I've said that enough by now. I can't believe I'm already on chapter nineteen.

**Shelbers:** I'm so glad you love it.

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** I thought since Mac and Ellie are twins it would be sweeter, more romantic if OC asked Mac and Mr. McClanahan.

**Emador:** I'm not sure what's so great about Charlie but I'm glad you like him. And I promise Charlie will show up again soon, not in this chapter, but soon.

**Prettypinkcheer5: **As I've said many times before, I'm not telling whether or not the dreams will come true. That's a secret between my cat and me. I think I told my seventeen-month-old sister, but she can't tell; you can try to bribe her but I'm not sure she'd tell. She might just take what you give her and toddle away without saying a word.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Thank you!

**Icesk8er7-08:** I didn't say how soon he was going to propose. He will propose but the really question is when. (Mischievous laughter)

**Jack's POV**

The airport was a madhouse when I got there. Gayle and Buzzy were snuggling; Gayle had been able to get three weeks off from work, so she could be with us both in New York and Lake Placid. Gabby had her arms wrapped around Rizzo's neck and she was crying. Emily and Mac were talking in a quiet place. Emily was seven months pregnant and her doctor didn't want her to do any flying so she was going to drive to Lake Placid with Nina and Gabby. Then Mac and Emily were going to drive home together after the Games.

I looked around for Ellie, but I didn't see her anywhere. So I joined Silky and Jimmy. Jimmy was single; and Rizzo and I suspect that Silky secretly wants to be a priest. "So, where's the future Mrs. O'Callahan?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm not sure," I said. "But I'm sure getting out of the apartment with luggage, a stroller, and Heidi could not have been easy."

"Sometimes I wonder how she manages to do anything with Heidi," Jimmy commented. "I mean how does she take a shower or anything like that? Does she have to hire a babysitter so she can take a shower?"

I laughed. "No, she takes showers when Heidi's napping."

"What about paying bills?" Silky asked.

"Huh?" Jimmy and I both just stared at Silky.

"When does she have time to pay her bills?" he asked.

"You mean when does she have time to sit down and write five or six checks?" I asked.

"Yeah, I mean Heidi's got to keep her pretty busy."

"You pay bills like once a month," Jimmy said. "It's not like she needs three hours to pay her bills."

"But it takes time," Silky protested.

I sighed. Silky is a great guy, but he's nuts and a little slow upstairs. "She usually does her bills fairly quickly," I said. "But then she usually does them when I'm over or when Heidi is sleeping."

"I do my best work when you're over or Heidi is asleep," someone said. I looked up and saw my gorgeous girlfriend. She had her purse, a diaper bag, a suitcase, a stroller, and Heidi with her.

"You're traveling light," I told her.

Ellie laughed. "I had to check the other bag. I had no clue how to hard it would be to travel with a baby. I should have taken Emily up on her offer to leave Heidi with her and she could bring Heidi up with her next week."

"But you hate leaving Heidi," I said.

"I know and that's why I'm bringing her with me."

After takeoff, Ellie pulled a book out of her purse and started reading. Heidi was sleeping in my lap and I was absorbed in watching her. She was so cute when she was sleeping. Her eyelids were buttoned shut over her big brown eyes. Her soft dark brown hair was starting to curl at the tips. It was hard to believe that she had only come into my life seven months earlier. At nine months old, she was a little angel and the best part was she was my little doll. Mac said that after watching Heidi he was starting to want to have a daughter.

I must have fallen asleep watching Heidi because I woke up the pilot saying, "Please fasten your seatbelts. We are now approaching New York Kennedy Airport."

I looked at Ellie; she was still reading her book, so I poked her. "What time is it?"

"New York time or Minnesota time?" she asked.

"Both."

"It's 8:47 in Minnesota so it's 9:47 in New York."

"What are you reading?" I asked sticking my head over her shoulder.

She pushed my head away. "How to Kill Your Annoying Boyfriend," she quipped.

"I won't leave you alone until you tell me," I threatened.

She stuck a bookmark in the book and set it on the armrest. "Give me Heidi and you can look at the book."

"But she's asleep," I said as the baby started crying.

"Does she sound asleep to you?" Ellie asked. "Give her to me and I'll feed her. Then you can look at your precious book."

I handed her the baby and she pulled a bottle out of the diaper bag. As Ellie inserted the bottle in Heidi's mouth, I took the book off the armrest. "Doctor Zhivago?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Your mother told me I should read it."

"My mother? Since when is my mother telling you what to read?"

"She didn't tell me to read it; she just recommended it to me."

"But when did she recommend it to you? You haven't seen her since November."

"She called me once shortly after the game against Harvard and we write letters to each other every now and then or she calls me sometimes. Every once in a while she sends me clothes and toys for Heidi."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. She likes me and she knows that my mother isn't any help. Also, I am her son's girlfriend, so she wants to get to know me better."

"How come you never told me about it?"

"You never asked and it never occurred to me. She's called me maybe five times and we only write like two times a month. It's not like she's going to replace Emily or Gabby as my best friend. Besides, don't you want me to have a good relationship with your mother?"

"Yeah, it's just you never told me about this."

"I also never told you that my mother and Kathie want tickets to the Games."

"What? Why? Your mother hates hockey."

"But all her friends at the country club expect her to be a good, dutiful, devoted wife and mother," Ellie said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "And besides my father bought five tickets, one for each of the girls and one each for him and Mom."

"So what's your dad going to do?"

"Well, he gave one of the tickets to Charlie, so only either Mom or Kathie could go. He's looking for someone else to take the other ticket because Mom's talking about having Kathie stay with some friends while she's gone."

"My brother said he needs a ticket for his girlfriend," I told her. "My parents had already bought tickets by the time James announced he was dating Nora."

"I have an idea," Ellie announced as we got off the plane.

"What?"

"Nora could take my mother's ticket."

"But then she couldn't sit with James."

"Shut up and listen, Boston boy. Annie could take my mother's ticket and Nora could take Annie's ticket. Then Annie could sit my family and Nora could sit with your family. Now, Annie might not be crazy about sitting with complete strangers, but I have a feeling she and Jennie could be a pretty dynamic duo."

"But Jennie will be paying attention to Charlie. We could give Natalie's ticket to James and your mom's to Nora. Then they could sit with your family and Natalie could sit with my family. Natalie is the kind of person, who would be okay with sitting with my family, isn't she?"

Ellie nodded as she settled Heidi in her stroller. "Yeah, if we introduce her to your family ahead of time, she should be fine. She's pretty good at adapting to new situations."

"Except for your parents' separation?"

"Well, that was a bit more than she usually has to deal with at a time."

I smiled. "Well, you seem to be handling it well,"

"Jack, I've been expecting them to separate for ages."

"And what about us?"

She smiled dreamily. "We're going to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after."

I was about to kiss her or something equally romantic when Herb yelled, "All right, let's get on the bus and go to the hotel. You boys have an early practice tomorrow morning."

Ellie just smiled at me and began pushing the stroller towards baggage claim.

**Ellie's POV**

That evening, I was sitting in my hotel room playing with Heidi when Rob came over to talk. "We haven't talked in ages," he said, throwing himself on the extra bed in my room.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Life," was his reply. "It's just so crazy right now. I've wanted to play in the Olympics since I was six and now it's finally really going to happen. And then Emily is going to have the baby in April and we're getting married in June. Everything's happening so fast."

"Are you having second thoughts about something? The wedding? The baby? The Olympics?"

He smiled. "I'm not having second thoughts about the Olympics. You don't have to worry about that."

"But you are having second thoughts about the wedding and the baby?"

My twin brother nodded slowly. "More the wedding than the baby."

"Why? You love Emily, don't you?"

"Of course I love Emily, why wouldn't I?" he snapped defensively. "What put that idea into your head?"

"Rob, if you love Emily, why are you having second thoughts about the wedding?"

He looked down at his hands. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this, not even Jack?"

"I promise."

"Okay, I'm starting to wonder if we're just getting married because of the baby," Rob said slowly. "I mean we were together for two years before she got pregnant and we never really talked about marriage that seriously. Then she finds out she is going to have a baby and suddenly marriage is all we can talk about. What if we're just getting married because of this baby? What if we aren't really in love? What if we get married and then ten years from now we realize it was all a mistake and we end up splitting up? Or worse, we could end up like Mom and Dad."

"And what if you two really are meant to be together? What if this baby happened to bring you two together?"

"Maybe you're right. I don't know. Why can't things with Em and me be like things with you and Jack? You two have known each other for seven months and you're talking about marriage. You two knew you were meant for each other from day one. Why can't Emily and I be like that?"

"Because you aren't Jack and Emily isn't me, you two have a completely different relationship than we do."

Rob sighed and threw his head into his hands. "But Jack knows he wants to marry you and he just met you in July. I met Emily almost three years ago and I'm still not sure I want to marry her."

"Rob, listen to me. You are not Jack; you two are two completely different people."

"But why? I mean how does he know that he loves you and wants to marry you after seven months? How do you know that you love him and want to marry him?"

"I don't know; I just know. It just occurred to me one day that I was loved him. And then one day we were talking and I realized that he is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"I've never had that feeling about Emily."

"But you two have been together for almost three years."

"I know," my brother said. "And I love her, but sometimes I wonder if I'm with her because I'm madly in love with her or because I've been with her for so long that I can't imagine life without her."

"Maybe you need to talk to her about this instead of me. She's really the one who needs to know what you're feeling."

"After she has the baby," he said.

"No, after the Games," I told him. "You can't put this off until April."

"Sure I can."

"Okay, you shouldn't. Look, Robbie, you need to do what's best for you and Emily. If you're having doubts about the wedding you need to talk to Emily about them. Promise me that you'll talk to Emily about how you're feeling after the Games, please."

"Fine," he sighed. "If it'll get you off my case. Now if you're done pretending to be my mother, I'll be heading back to my room now."

"Go ahead," I told him. "I'd like to get some sleep anyway."

"What? You don't want to see your precious Jack before you get your beauty rest?"

"You can leave now," was all I said and he left.

The next day was intense. The boys were nervous about playing the greatest hockey team alive. "It's not that I'm afraid," Mark Johnson had said to me during breakfast. "It's just that we're playing the Russians and everyone is always talking about how good they are. If the NHL All-Stars can't beat them, what about us?"

"Mark, you guys are some of the best hockey players I've ever seen in my life. They have Vladislav Tretiak, but we have Jimmy Craig. They have Boris Mikhailov, but we have Mark Johnson."

He smiled. "You're just saying that because you're our friend. Plus, Mac's your brother you're dating OC; it's like a rule that you have to say that."

"Yes, I have friends on the team, and a brother, and a boyfriend, but that's not why I said that; I said that because I believe in you guys. The Russians might be hot, but they're not as hot as you guys. They don't have the Coneheads or Rizzo or my brother or Jack. The time of Soviet dominance is over; you guys can shoot them down. I'm sure of it."

Mark had hugged me and then Jack joined us. "So, Johnson, you trying to make a move on the love of my life?"

Johnson and I laughed; then Johnson said, "Like I could ever distract her from you."

Jack kissed me. "My mom called me this morning and she said she's wearing down the beads on her rosary for us."

I smiled. "That sounds like her."

He nodded. "When I was in college, she would bring her rosary with her to my games and she would sit there mouthing the prayers all through the game."

Mark laughed. "My mom was always a nervous wreck during my games too."

"My mother was convinced that the only way I could win was if she asked the Blessed Virgin to help me," Jack said. "I think she might be right."

Heidi picked that exact moment to reach out and grab my spoon out of my Cheerios. As she waved it around in her chubby little fist, she sprayed everyone at the table with milk and cereal. Johnson shook his head. "She is so cute."

"Yeah, she is," I replied. "But she also loves being the center of attention. If no one's paying attention to her, she finds ways to get everyone to pay attention to her."

"Like throwing Cheerios at people," Jack said.

"She just likes to share her food with everyone," Doc said as he walked by.

"Doc, it was my food she was sharing," I told him.

"Ellie, she's nine months old; she thinks that everything is hers." Heidi started cooing and babbling then. Doc took her from me and smiled. "She is a sweet little girl," he said. "She's going to grow up into a beautiful young lady someday."

Johnson smiled. "Jack, you'd better buy a shotgun on her thirteenth birthday."

We all laughed.

That night, I stood behind the bench with my hands folded as if in prayer. I understood why Mrs. O'Callahan prayed the rosary during her son's games. In fact, I would have liked to have her beads with me to give me comfort. The boys just couldn't match up to the Russians; maybe I had been wrong that morning when I said that we were better than the Russians.

Then I saw Jack take a terrible hit and Doc ran out onto the ice to him. I knew I should have gone with him but I just stood there, staring. Jannie grabbed my hand. "Hey, he's going to be all right. Doc will take good care of him."

I went back to the locker room with Jack and Doc. "Ellie, help Jack get out of his uniform," Doc ordered me as he helped Jack up on the table.

I nodded and started to remove Jack's skates. "You can take my skates and my jersey off, but I'm the one taking my pants off."

I sighed. "Jack, you hurt your knee; there is no way I am letting you take your pants off unassisted. You have to at least let me help you move the pant leg over your hurt knee."

"No," he barked sharply. "Ellie, you're my girlfriend; there is no way I am letting my girlfriend take my pants off; that's just not the way I do things."

"Jack, it's not like we're here to have sex," I told him through tightly clenched teeth. "We're here to find out what's wrong with your right knee. I'm a physical therapist for Pete's sake! Just let me take care of you!"

Jack sighed as I threw his left skate to the ground. "Fine, you can only help me with my right leg."

"Fine!" I yelled. "Let's just get you undressed so Doc can try to figure out what's wrong with you."

I knew it was the pain that was making him snap at me, but it didn't really make me feel any better. We were tired, stressed, and worried and that was not making things any better. I was supposed to be taking care of Jack but what I really wanted to do was go lay down on my bed in my hotel room and cry. The boys were losing, Jack was injured, and my brother was having what President Carter would have referred to as a "crisis in confidence." Life was going fabulously.

Heidi was with Gayle Schneider and I knew that if worse came to worse, Gayle would take care of Heidi. Gayle had the diaper bag and a key to my room; she could take care of things.

The fact was I was worried about Jack. The team was losing and he was injured. Knowing him the way I did he was either going to find a way to blame everything on himself and become incredibly depressed or become determined to get back on the ice right away and end up hurting himself. Ah, the joys of dating a hockey player!

**Jack's POV**

Between Ellie's pursed lips and Doc's murmured "umm-hmm"s, I was starting to get worried. "Possible torn ligament," I heard Doc mutter. "At best a stretched ligament." This was sounding and looking bad. Ellie put ice on my leg and then sat down in the corner. She was ignoring me.

Then Doc left and came back with Herb a few minutes later. When Herb came in, Ellie left. I knew she was probably going to get Heidi from Gayle but I also knew she was mad at me.

"Doc's going with you to the hospital to get a picture of your knee taken," Herb told me and then he left. And the only person left in the room was Doc who was going to drive me to the hospital.

"What's bothering Ellie?" Doc asked me while we were waiting for a doctor in the emergency room.

I shrugged. "I snapped at her when she was trying to undress me, but I think something else is up. Why'd you ask?"

"Herb told her that she could stay here with you and he'd arrange for Gayle to take Heidi to Lake Placid, but Ellie turned him down. She said something about Mac needing her."

"Mac needs her? Mac's half ready to kill her."

"Why?" Doc asked me.

I shrugged. "I don't know; it's none of my business."

"Jack," the old man said to me firmly. "Your roommate and your girlfriend are siblings, twins to be exact, and they have a fight. Wouldn't you say that's your business?"

I shrugged again. "I guess it kind of is."

"I should say it is, young man. You've roomed with Mac on every road trip this team has been on. You've been dating Ellie since early July. In my book, you have a vested interest in those two's personal lives, even if they do seem like a pair of nutcases. Now, I can probably guess what they're fighting about this time, but if you're rooming with a guy and he goes to see his twin sister and comes back half ready to kill her, wouldn't you ask him why?"

"I guess so. It's just he looked so mad that I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to him."

"Jack, I've known the McClanahan twins for a while now and if there's one thing I know about them it's that they don't fight much but when they do, it's bad. Mac usually doesn't want to talk about it, but he needs to and his sister usually just chalks it up to her brother being a jerk and gets over it. Mac is probably unhappier with his sister now than he would be if you had talked to him last night."

"Well, what's done is done," I said.

The old Latvian doctor shrugged. "I suppose you're right, but I think you need to talk to Ellie soon."

"I'll have to wait until we get to Lake Placid," I told him. "She went with the team on the bus and we're not leaving until tomorrow morning at the earliest. And that's only if this is just a stretched ligament."

"Then hope for the best."

Thankfully, hoping for the best worked out for the best. It was just a stretched ligament. I had to keep off my right leg for about a week. I wouldn't be able to play until the medal round, at the earliest. In other words, I was probably going to be cut when we joined the team in Lake Placid.

Doc and I were taking a train to join the team the next morning. We had to spend one more night at the hotel and I was wishing for all the world that Ellie had stayed with us, but she hadn't. Oh, well, I would talk to her in the morning…since I had no other option.

A/N: I hope you liked that. I finished writing that really fast! I'm so proud of me. Please review! (I think I'm addicted to reviews.) Oh well! The Olympics start in the next game! (I think I'm going to borrow my brothers' DVDs of the real1980 Games and watch them before I right the next couple chapters.


	20. Chapter Twenty

A/N: I don't own _Miracle_, but I do own DVDs of the actual games!

**Hi-may:** A lot of the Irish people I know call their dad either Pa or Dad. Da is common from what I've heard, but I decided to go with something a little more Americanized.

**Icesk8er7-08:** Email me with what ideas you have and I'll see what I can think up. I'd be glad to try to help you.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Cookies! I love cookies! Well, coffee is better, but cookies are cool. I had this absolutely amazing iced mocha on Saturday; it was heavenly. I can see why the guy in _Guys and Dolls_ said coffee should be a sin. Can you tell that I'm a caffeine addict?

**Emador:** I can see why you like Charlie so much. He's going to show up again soon.

**Shelbers:** Thanks! That makes me so happy that I'm portraying people accurately.

**Meadow567:** Thanks for reviewing. Sorry you couldn't review.

**Moi:** I'm not going to break Mac and Emily up. Or at least, I'm not planning on it. Now, if someone gives me $2000 to break them up, I'll do it, but hey, I was willing to shave my head if my friend could raise $2000. (He couldn't do it.)

**Ellie's POV**

I spent the entire bus ride to Lake Placid playing games like Twenty Questions and I Spy with Mark Johnson, the Coneheads, Silky, and Jim Craig. Well, Jimmy actually spent most of the ride playing with Heidi while I entertained the others. Bah was the king of I Spy. For example, Silky said, "I spy something yellow."

And immediately Buzzy said, "Suter's head."

"No, you retard," Silky replied. "What are you, stupid?"

"Well, apparently that's what you think of me."

"Is it the entire population of Sweden?" Johnson asked.

"Is what the entire population of Sweden?" Bah asked.

"Whatever Silky spies that is yellow," Johnson said, like it was the most obvious thing on Earth. "And I'm guessing that he spies Sweden."

"But where would he see Sweden?" Jimmy said. "We're on a bus in the middle of nowhere."

Johnson shrugged. "All I know is they keep blondes in Sweden."

"You know, Johnson," I said. "Nina is a redhead."

"I'm not saying I'm attracted to blondes; I'm just saying that most Swedes are blondes."

"What else is yellow?" I asked. "We know it's not Suter's head or Sweden. What is it?"

"I don't know," Johnson said.

"How would I know? I'm just a stupid Minnesotan," Buzzy said.

"Heidi's outfit," Bah announced. "She's wearing a yellow jumpsuit."

"Yes," Silky said. "Okay, not all Minnesotans are retarded, just Buzzy."

"Hey, I take offense at that!" Buzzy yelped.

"Buzzy, I think that was the point," I told him.

"I'm going to see Gayle. Maybe she likes me better," Buzzy said as he stood up and went to join his wife.

"Poor Buzzy," Johnson said. "It's not his fault he isn't as smart as the rest of us."

I missed Jack. I had gone with the team so I could talk to Rob, but my twin was just ignoring me. He spent the entire bus ride talking to Dave Christian and Bob Suter. I should have stayed in New York City with Jack. At least Jack wanted to have me around and come to think of it, I wanted to be around him. I wanted to be with him; I needed to be with him. He was a sweet, amazing guy. I would kill to be with Jack right now instead of playing a five-year-old's game with the Coneheads.

"I spy something brown," Jimmy said interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh?" was all I could say.

"We're playing a game, Elizabeth," Bah said pretending to be exasperated. "And Jimmy spied something brown."

"Bah's hair," Silky said.

"Nope."

"Your hair," I guessed.

"Not it either."

"Umm, the entire population of Italy," Johnson suggested.

"Are you just retarded?" Bah asked. "We're still in the middle of nowhere and I haven't seen any buses loaded to the nines with Italians driving by recently."

"Plus not all Italians have brown hair," I pointed out. "There are some blondes in Italy." (A/N: very true fact, I'm half-Italian and most of my younger siblings are blondes.)

"Fine, I'm retarded like Buzzy. I guess I'll go sit with Gayle and see if she'll entertain me," Johnson sighed.

"Gayle loves Buzzy," I said. "You're retarded, Mark. There's no way in heck Gayle would entertain you when she has Buzzy around."

He stuck his lower lip out and made sad puppy eyes at me. "Take that back, Ellie, pretty please?"

"Bah, tell Jimmy what he wants to know so we can start playing twenty questions and stop insulting each other," I ordered.

The brown haired sheep shrugged. "I can't think of what is brown besides my hair and Jimmy's hair."

"Umm, what about my hair, my coat, and Heidi's hair?" I suggested. "All of those things are brown. My eyes are also brown."

"You got it," Jimmy said.

"I got what?"

"Are you completely clueless today?" he asked.

I nodded and smiled. "Of course."

"You won. You figured out what was brown."

"And what was it?"

"Your hair," he told me. "Jack is always talking to me about how much he loves your hair and it was my turn, so I picked your hair."

I smiled. "So it's my turn now?"

"No, Elizabeth, it's your mother's cousin's turn," Bah said.

"Oh, shut up sheep boy," I told him. "I spy something blue."

"My gorgeous eyes," he said.

"The only gorgeous blue eyes I care about are Jack's," I said. "I've never noticed what color your eyes are."

"Aww, how cute, Rob, your twin's madly in love with O'Callahan!" Bah yelled to the front of the bus.

"I don't care," my brother yelled back. "That's her business."

I sighed. "You two had a fight, didn't you?" Jimmy asked.

I nodded. "And Jack and I had a spat, but that was mostly because he was in pain," I said.

Jimmy hugged me. "I'm sorry. I can talk to Jack for you if you want."

"That'd be great," I said. "I'd really appreciate that."

"And I can talk to Robbie," Johnson offered.

"Or I could do it," Bah put in.

"That would be better," I told him. "If you wouldn't mind."

"Bah and I could talk to Mac together if you want," Johnson suggested.

"Okay, I guess that could work." I knew Mark Johnson just wanted to help and I appreciated that. After all, I did introduce him to Nina.

**Jack's POV**

Doc and I took an early morning train up to Lake Placid. All I could think about the entire trip was Ellie. She'd had a fight with Mac and then I'd only made things worse the way I'd treated her in the locker room. She was the love of my life and I hadn't been there when she needed me most. But I was determined to make that up to her. I wanted to marry her and I needed her in my life. I had recently discovered that I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life without Ellie and Heidi.

_"David, Heidi and Nick are going to be here any minute now. Would you please go put on a tie?" Ellie asked, walking into the living room. _

_My twenty-one year old son sighed. "Fine, Mom, but it's not like the President is coming to visit or anything."_

_My wife shook her head. "That's true. But Nana and Papa O'Callahan are here. And Uncle Rob and Aunt Emily are here with Alex, Katrina, and Paul."_

_"But Grandpa McClanahan isn't here," my ten-year-old daughter, Abby pointed out. Abby, the surprise as we called her, was sitting by the Christmas tree playing with our two Siberian huskies, Herb and Banjo. Abby was born nine months after Ellie and my fourteenth wedding anniversary. _

_"I know," Ellie said shooting me a look I couldn't read, but I knew what it meant. Her father was in Hawaii on his honeymoon; he had married a twenty-eight year old named Jeannie two weeks earlier. Rob and Ellie were furious about it, Jennie and Natalie were mad, but not as mad as the twins, and I had no clue how Kathie felt about it, or if she knew. No one in the McClanahan family had talked to Kathie in years. _

_"But Aunt Jennie and Aunt Natalie are coming with their families," I said, trying to cheer things up. "So, David, go put a tie on. Steve, set the table for your mother. Mary, go fill up pitchers of water for the table. Anna, go tell Nana and Papa to come down for dinner. Ellie, sit down and rest. Abby, just sit here and keep Herb and Banjo out of trouble."_

_My wonderful kids jumped to it and took care of following my orders. Abby looked at me. "Daddy, how come we have a Nana O'Callahan, but not a Grandma McClanahan? When Grandpa McClanahan married Jeannie, she told us to call her Grandma, but she's only two years old than Heidi, so how can I call her Grandma? She's younger than Mommy."_

_Ellie smiled. "Then don't call her Grandma."_

_"But why don't I have a Grandma McClanahan?"_

_"Because your Grandmother McClanahan doesn't want anything to do with me," my wife told our youngest daughter. "She and Grandpa McClanahan had a fight when Heidi was a baby and they divorced. And I don't want to see her ever again."_

_"Why not?" Abby asked._

_"She wanted me to be something I wasn't and she didn't like Daddy. "_

_"Why didn't she like Daddy?"_

_"Because I was poor," I told my daughter._

_"We're not poor now, are we?"_

_I shook my head. "Not anymore, my job and your mother's job keep us in more than comfortable financial circumstances."_

_"Okay," Abby replied and then went back to snuggling up against the dogs. _

_I kissed Ellie's cheek. "You're the most amazing woman ever born. I don't know what I'd do without you."_

_"Oh, you'd survive," she teased before kissing my forehead. "But your life would be a miserable, pitiful hell."_

_I smiled. "It was the most amazing day of my life the day you agreed to marry me."_

_"Ah, well, I only did that because I loved you and I didn't want to die without you."_

_"You know, you two are supposed to be stodgy old people who have no romance in your lives," Steve said walking into the room. _

_"Says who?" Ellie asked, snuggling up against me. _

_"That's what most of my friends' parents are like," he said. "And anyways, Heidi is married and she has a daughter. Plus I'm getting married in June."_

_"Are we embarrassing?" my wife teased my son._

_"You two did have a baby ten years ago. I was thirteen years old and my mom was having a baby. Think about how that looked to my friends at school, it was like you two couldn't keep your hands off each other."_

_I shrugged. "Don't you want your parents to still be in love?"_

_"I guess, but do you two have to be so open about it?"_

_"Stephen, what do you want us to do?" Ellie asked. "Hide our love in the closet?"_

_He shrugged and said in a thick Latvian accent, "Jack, we're in Lake Placid. Jack, wake up."_

I opened my eyes and looked up at Doc. "What did you say?"

"We're in Lake Placid," he told me in his thick Latvian accent. "It's time to get off the train."

"Did I sleep the whole way here?" I asked.

Doc nodded. Then we got off the train and headed over to the Olympic village where Herb, Craig, and the team were checking in.

Ellie was standing with Jimmy and Bah. I joined them after trying to convince Herb that I was ready to play with little success. "Hey, Ellie," I said calmly. "Jimmy, Bah."

"Hey," Jimmy and Bah said.

"Hi, honey," Ellie said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," I told her. "How was your trip up here?"

"Okay," she said in that tone where I knew she wanted to say something else.

"Never play I Spy or Twenty Questions with Buzzy and Johnson," Jimmy told me. "They'll drive you insane."

"I think even Heidi is closer to suicide because of that experience," Bah added.

"My little princess would never commit suicide," I said, smiling at Heidi.

"So, how are you doing?" Ellie asked me. "Is your leg going to be all right?"

"They said that it's just a leg contusion and I should be able to play by the second week, but Herb won't say anything yet."

"Well, he needs to talk to Doc and Walter," Ellie told me. "They need to help him make the decisions. Walter speaks for the Olympic committee and you know how much Herb thinks of their opinion."

"He'll do the exact opposite of what Walter recommends," Jimmy remarked. "So hope that Walter recommends that Herb cut you."

"Isn't that a little weird?" Bah asked. "Do you really want to be hoping that the Committee cuts you?"

I shrugged. "I just don't want Herb to cut me. I know I can play no matter how much it hurts."

Ellie shot me a look that said you better watch it mister. Ah, the joys of dating a physical therapist!

**JIMMY CRAIG'S POV (A/N: the POV everyone's been waiting for)**

Herb took us to the hockey rink after we were all checked in. Most of the guys headed back to the village to get settled in before Herb started practices, but Jack hobbled down onto the ice. I knew Herb wanted to talk to him, but I wanted to talk to him about Ellie before Herb got to him, so I went down to the ice. "It's hard to believe we're finally here," I said.

Jack looked at me. "Yeah, but at least you know you're going to play. I can't play for a week and with Herb that means you're off the team."

"He's not going to cut you after you've come this far."

"This is Herb we're talking about, Jimmy, not my mother. He's not that nice of a guy."

"Okay, enough about Herb," I said. "That's not what I want to talk to you about."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

"I sat next to your girlfriend the entire ride up here."

"And you want to steal her from me?" Jack asked.

I shook my head. "No, she's a great girl, but we've been friends far too long for me to steal your girl. Jack, you're a very lucky man."

"I know," he said. "I still don't know why she picked me."

"Because she looked around the world and decided to date the one guy in the world who hated her brother," I teased. "But seriously, she thinks you're mad at her."

"Why would I be mad at her?"

"Because you snapped at her after you hurt your knee."

"But she knows I was in pain, she must know I didn't mean it."

I sighed. "Jack, she had a huge fight with Mac the night before. Mac is thinking about leaving Emily and not telling her about these thoughts until after the baby comes."

"And Ellie is completely opposed to such a concept," Jack said. "Why didn't she tell me? Why did she tell you and not me?"

"She told me because Bah wouldn't leave her alone until she told us why she is fighting with Mac. It wasn't like she was planning to talk to us about it or she even wanted to, but when you're being poked, tickled, and prodded by Bah, Johnson, Silky, and me, it's not exactly easy to keep any secrets."

"So I should talk to her?"

"Do you want to marry her?"

Jack nodded and smiled making me smile. "She's the greatest girl I've ever met. She reminds me of your mother."

I smiled. "Then you need to talk to her if she's that fantastic."

"Now I just have to wait for Herb to make up his mind about me."

"Good luck," I told him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Herb is coming, so I'm going to go tell Ellie to wait for you."

Ellie was in the rink lobby talking to Doc and Walter Bush when I came out. None of their faces betrayed any news about OC. It seemed that Herb was keeping his cards close to his vest and keeping a perfect poker face.

I stood off to the side waiting for Ellie and the men to finish their conversation. I noticed that Ellie was balancing Heidi on her left hip and the baby seemed tired, as did her mother. I thought about taking Heidi from Ellie, but I wasn't sure that either of them would like that idea too much. Heidi and I didn't know each other very well and she didn't like people other than Ellie and Jack when she was tired. So I just sat there tapping my toes and watching Ellie.

"OC's playing, baby!" I heard Jack yell and I smiled.

Ellie left Doc and Walter to head towards Jack. She handed Heidi to me and ran to Jack. "I'm so proud of you, baby!" she squealed. And when I say she squealed, I mean she squealed.

He dropped his crutches on the floor and hugged her.

**Ellie's POV**

I was talking to Doc and Walter about Jack's chances of seeing ice time during the Olympics when I heard, "OC's playing baby!" Jack came hobbling towards us on his crutches. I excused myself, handed Heidi to Jimmy who was standing nearby and practically flew to Jack. "I'm so proud of you, baby!" I squealed. I knew I was squealing and I didn't care for once.

He dropped his crutches on the floor and pulled me close to him. "I'd pick you up, but then I'd never play hockey again," he whispered in my ear. "Oh, Ellie, I love you so much."

"The feeling is mutual," I told him. "I wish I'd stayed in New York with you."

"You didn't work things out with Mac?"

"He apparently hates me," I said. "He won't talk to me, but he told Buzzy to tell me that I can leave him alone and stop trying to tell him what to do."

Jack hugged me. "I'm sorry. I could tear him to pieces like a vicious maniac if you'd like."

I shook my head. "No, you need to keep yourself under control. He is your roommate; you need to live peacefully with him. Also, Bah and Johnson want to talk to him about things. They want to take care of this for me."

"But I'm your boyfriend," he protested.

"And you're Mac's roommate."

"We're all teammates. Squabbling amongst teammates is just bad as squabbling amongst roommates especially during the Olympics."

"That's fine, but Bah is like a brother to me and he just wants to do me a brotherly service."

"What about Johnson?"

"It's a thank you present for Nina," I told him, kissing his cheek.

"But I'm still the most important man in your life?" Jack asked.

I kissed his lips. "Of course, now let's go to the Village and get settled in before our families arrive."

A/N: Okay, so the Games start in the next chapter. The McClanahans and the O'Callahans will show up then too. (As will Charlie and Nora.)


	21. Chapter TwentyOne

A/N: Okay, so to own _Miracle_, you have to be Disney but I agree with my older brother who says that Disney is an instrument of Satan on earth, so I'm don't own _Miracle_ because I'm not Disney.

**Jack's POV**

I walked into what was going to be my room for the next two weeks and found Mac sitting on my bed, looking more than a little out of it. I decided to check this out. "I was just making out with your sister, Rob."

"That's nice," he said without looking up.

"I'm going to shoot myself in the head."

"Have fun with that," was all he said.

"But first I'm going to shoot you," I told him.

"Lucky me."

"Rob, I'm in love with you. I think I want to marry you."

"What the heck?" he screamed. "Jack, what the heck is wrong with you? I thought you wanted to marry my sister."

"I do, but I had to get you get out of la-la land. You were completely zoned out; you needed me to do that to you."

He smiled faintly. "I was thinking."

"About Emily?"

He nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Jimmy told me; he made Ellie tell him."

"So you know that I have cold feet?"

I nodded. "And I understand it a little."

"I'm not sure that I love Emily."

"What about the baby?"

"I told you I was confused," he countered. "I don't know what I want."

"Do you love Emily?"

"I don't know."

"Why did you ask her to marry you?"

"Because I wanted to be with her and she's pregnant with my baby."

"I'm confused," I told him.

Mac laughed. "You think you're confused, try being me. I want to be with her, but I'm not sure I love her."

"How does that work? Don't you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

Mac shook his head. "I want to be with her. Like the first time I was ever with her, it was in the back of Rammer's station wagon and it was absolutely amazing. I want that feeling again." He paused and looked at me. "Have you ever been with a girl like that?"

I shook my head. "Never. I know it sounds weird, but I'm waiting for the right woman."

"Really? You? Jack O'Callahan? You're not the first guy I would have thought of if I was making a list of guys on the team who are still virgins; in fact, you're the last guy."

"Yeah, well, things aren't always the way they appear," I told him. "I was raised in a good Catholic family and being a good Catholic boy just stuck with me. See, I'm all talk and no action when it comes to women. Jimmy used to say that Silky and I were going to head off to the seminary together."

"Wow, I guess I don't really know you as well as I thought I did," he said. "When you first started dating Ellie, I thought you were just using her to get your kicks. And I never could figure out why Heidi loved you so dang much and was so good for you when if I held her she just screamed. You seem to have this natural talent with babies and women. It's like you know all the secrets of life."

I snorted. "You've got the wrong man, Mac. I'm good with babies because my parents are both the oldest of several children and I grew up around all my little cousins. Changing diapers and playing duck-duck-goose was the way to survive in my family. And for some reason, I have this honing device that just draws women to me. I don't know why I'm such a magnet to women."

"You're nice," he told me.

"What?" I was confused, as usual.

"You're this good, decent guy and girls love that. You're a gentleman and it probably doesn't hurt that you're good looking."

"I'm good looking?"

"Ellie certainly seems to think so; she only dates good looking men. Plus, the last time I saw her, Jennie said you were 'real hot stuff' and I do quote."

I laughed. "Jennie thinks I'm real hot stuff? Have you seen her new boyfriend?"

"No, have you?"

I nodded. "He's short, like seriously really short; he's as tall as Ellie."

"You're kidding?" Rob gasped. "Jennie's taller than Ellie."

"I know; it's really funny."

"When do I get to meet him?"

"After you make up with Ellie," I told him.

He gasped. "What?"

"He's coming to the Games with your family and in order for you to meet him, you need to make up with Ellie. That's my deal; you can take it or leave it."

He sighed as I watched him closely. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll go talk to her."

"And you'll talk to Emily before the baby's born?"

"Why is that so damned important to you and my sister?"

"Because we don't want Emily to be sitting there with a newborn baby and no fiancée. We want her to know what she's getting into ahead of time."

"Should I marry her?" he asked me.

"I guess it all comes down to another question. Do you love her?"

Rob stared at the wall for what seemed like an eternity; the clock on the bedside table said it was only five minutes, but I digress. He nodded slowly and then said, "More than anything in the world. And she's the mother of my child; I need to do what's best for all three of us."

"I'm proud of you," I told him. "You're doing the right thing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, just ask my sister to marry you already."

"Go make up with her and I'll take care of that. Right now I have a stretched ligament in my leg that wants to lie on the bed. Now get out of here."

He smiled at me. "You know my sister adores you?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, go talk to her."

"You stole my line!" he yelped.

"Just go talk to your sister. We'll deal with that later. Now shoo!" I waved him off with my hand before collapsing on the couch.

**Ellie's POV**

I was sitting on the couch in my room talking to Gayle when someone knocked on the door. Gayle was playing with Heidi, so I answered the door; it was Robbie. "Can I talk to you?" he asked shyly.

"Sure," I told him stiffly. "Come in."

"Hey, Gayle," he said, waving slightly. "How are you?"

"No complaints," she said mildly.

I knew something was up with Rob because he was shifting from foot to foot. "Something wrong, Rob?" I asked him.

"Can I talk to you in private?" he asked worriedly.

"Sure," Gayle answered for me. "Heidi and I will go visit Buzzy; I'm sure he'd enjoy the company. Heidi, say bye-bye to Mamma and Uncle Robbie."

Heidi gurgled as Gayle waved her little hand at us.

When we had privacy, I looked at my brother. "What's up?"

"You're dating an amazing guy," he told me.

"I know," I told him with a smile. "But what brings this about?"

"He helped me to realize that I was being a jerk and that I really do love Emily."

"How'd he do that?"

"He just talked to me about why he's a babe magnet," Rob told me.

"Are you serious?" I asked him.

"Sort of, he talked about his relationships with women, all stuff I'm sure you know about, and then he asked me some questions. He straightened some things out in my head."

"And you're going to keep your promises to Emily?"

My twin nodded. "Jack warmed up my cold feet."

I smiled and hugged him. "So the fight's off?"

"Absolutely, we're friends again."

"Good stuff."

Robbie left telling me he was going to send Jack over. "I'll give you two lovebirds some time together," he told me teasingly.

Jack came in a few minutes later. "Where's your couch?" were the first words out of his mouth after I opened the door.

"I love you too, darling," I told him before pointing him to the couch.

"You want to come join me here?" he asked with a coy smile.

I raised my eyebrows. "All right, but you have to promise to be a gentlemen, Mr. O'Callahan."

"I'll keep my hands to myself," he told me as I sat down next to him. "I promise."

I smiled at him. "That's my good boy. So, I hear you saved Rob and Emily's relationship?"

He shrugged. "I slapped some sense into your brother's head."

"I hope you didn't hurt him," I said making a corny attempt at a joke.

"Nothing life threatening," he replied. "Where's Heidi?"

"Visiting Gayle," I told him. "She likes playing Mommy."

"It's practice for when she finally ready decides she's ready to raise two children."

I rolled my eyes. "You know Buzzy is capable of being mature."

"Yeah sure."

"So, what are you supposed to be doing about that knee of yours?"

"Resting, relaxing, keeping it, using these crutches to get around, depending on my loving girlfriend for everything."

I shook my head. "Yeah, right. I know you have some sort of physical therapy regimen you need to be following."

"Talk to Doc about it; he knows what I'm supposed to be doing."

I sighed. "Jack, I know what you're supposed to be doing. When the rest of the team is practicing, you and I are supposed to be working on your therapy."

"Kissing you could be part of my therapy."

"No, that's an extracurricular event. Therapy is about stretching and regaining control of the muscle, not making out with your girlfriend no matter how good looking she is."

"And man, is she good looking or what?"

I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the softness of my couch. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm in love with you."

"Because I'm the only one for you forever, in your eyes and your words and in everything you, nothing else would do forever-except me!"

"Been having the late night Natalie Wood marathons with Jimmy again, I see," I remarked.

"Yeah, but I still don't get why you girls think Tony is so romantic. He dies because Anita told him Maria was dead. Why should he trust Anita? She's never been nice to him before. Why would she be nice to him then?"

"Jack, darling, you're rambling."

"I don't care. It's a free country; I can ramble if I like."

"Sure, but this room is property of the International Olympic Committee and therefore, it is rambling free."

"Drat international policy," he said in a false British accent. "I just want to have some good old-fashioned American fun with my girlfriend."

"Well, you can't, so let's do something else."

"Like what?" he asked eagerly.

"Play Scrabble."

We were playing Scrabble when someone pounded on the door. I went to open it and found Rizzo and Jimmy on the other side. "Can Jack come out to play?" Rizzo asked in a childish voice.

I smiled. "We're playing Scrabble, but you can join us if you like."

"Ellie," he whined. "It's dinner time; it's six o'clock."

"Are you serious?" I gasped. "We've been playing Scrabble for four hours?"

"Pathetic, huh?" Jimmy teased.

I ignored his comment and went on. "And Gayle has had Heidi for almost five hours? Oh my goodness, where did the time go?"

"Time flies when you're having fun," Jack commented from his throne on the couch.

"Will you two come to dinner with us now?" Rizzo begged.

"Yes, we will since Gabby isn't here yet and I know you're dying of loneliness," I told him. "Hey, cripple, take up your crutches and walk."

"I'm not a cripple," he protested. "I'm merely temporarily four-legged."

"Like a dog?" Rizzo asked as Jack hobbled to the door.

"I don't have a tail, you moron." They were old friends and the teasing between the two of them just flowed naturally.

"So, we go and find food is my vote," Jimmy said, completely ignoring Jack. "If that's all right with the tailless wonder." Okay, so maybe he didn't ignore Jack's comment, but he almost did.

"Where do you propose we find this food?" the tailless wonder asked. And you know he brought this on himself.

"Well, some of the guys were talking about going to a McDonald's here in the Village," Rizzo said.

"Define some of the guys," I told him.

"The Coneheads, Johnson, Mac, Silky, and pretty much everyone else."

"If the Coneheads are coming, does that mean that Gayle is coming?" I asked.

Rizzo shrugged. "I guess."

"Then we're going to the place that will reunite me with Heidi the fastest."

"She's obsessed with Heidi," Rizzo whispered to Jack.

"I heard that, Michael Eruzione," I yelled in his ear. "And she's my daughter; I have every reason in the world to be obsessed with her."

He sighed. "You're such a mother."

"That's because she is a mother, you moron," Jack told him.

"Shut up you tailless wonder," Rizzo retorted.

"When I was a kid, we had a three-legged dog," Jack began.

"I've heard this story before," Rizzo whined.

"So have I," Jimmy moaned.

"But I haven't," I said. "And I want to hear it."

"Okay, so when Jack was like eight or something his family had this dog named Groucho. The name was a joke; it was the sweetest dog you ever met. But anyway, one day, the O'Callahans' neighbor hit Groucho or something and the vet had to amputate one of his legs."

"The vet amputated his own leg?" I joked. "How painful."

"No, girlfriend of moronic tailless wonder, your boyfriend's stupidity is rubbing off on you. The vet had to amputate one of Groucho's legs. So the poor dog walked around the O'Callahans' house on three legs for like ten years. I met the dog; it was cool," Jimmy told me.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"He died," Rizzo told me.

"The same neighbor who hit him the first time hit him again like five years ago and killed him," Jack explained.

"Yeah, he died," Rizzo retorted.

"But you didn't explain how he died and he died in a very dramatic way," I protested. "You have to give me details."

"Why? Are you a slow learner like Jack?" he asked.

"No, you're just so stupid that you're confusing me."

"Kids, kids, kids, stop fighting," Jimmy told us. "Hey, OC, can I give your girlfriend a piggyback ride?"

Jack shrugged. "I guess so. Ask her."

"Ellie, can I give you a piggyback ride?" he asked.

"Why?" I asked him.

"My nieces are coming to the Games and I have to get back in practice at piggyback rides."

"All right, are you going to take me all the way to McDonald's?"

Jimmy shrugged. "Sure."

So, I hopped on his back and let him carry me to McDonald's. When we got there, Johnson yelled, "Hey, OC, when'd you let Jimmy steal your girl?"

"I'm didn't steal her," Jimmy informed him. "I'm borrowing her for practice when my nieces come to visit."

"You're going to date your nieces?" Bah asked. "That's sick."

"You're sick," my horse told the sheep. "I'm not dating my nieces or Ellie. My nieces are addicted to piggyback rides and I haven't given any rides since last summer, so Ellie is giving me practice."

"And OC sanctioned this?" Silky asked.

"I had no choice," Jack told him. "Jimmy needs the practice and Ellie likes piggyback rides."

"Can I get down now?" I asked. "I want to see my baby."

"Gayle has her," Jimmy said. "I like having a girl on my back."

"You have my girl on your back," my darling boyfriend told him. "So when she asks to be put down, you put her down."

"Fine," Jimmy sighed and let me down.

I took Heidi from Gayle and kissed her forehead. "Did you have fun with Gayle and Buzzy? Were you good?"

"She was an angel," Gayle told me. "She fell asleep around three and just slept for almost three hours. I thought about bringing her back to you but she looked too peaceful."

"It's fine," I told her. "Jack and I played Scrabble for hours."

"Oh, Scrabble," Buzzy said. "So that's what you kids are calling it these days."

"Buzzy, you have the dirtiest mind of anyone I've ever met."

"You know what they say," he said. "Dirty mind, warm hands."

"Go talk to your wife with your warm hands."

"You ruin all my fun," he protested. "And you've been doing it for years."

"That's my job," I told him. "To stop your party."

He rolled his eyes and I was about to go join Jimmy and Rizzo in line to order when I overheard Robbie say, "Hey, Jack, did you ask my sister to marry you yet?"

"What?" I screamed. "What are you talking about?"

"I guess he hasn't asked her yet," Buzzy said.

"Hold on," I said slowly, handing Heidi to Gayle and staring at Jack. "What's going on? Is Jack going to ask me to marry him sometime in the near future?"

Jack nodded. "I was going to wait until after the Games," he said slowly. "But I guess the guys kind of ruined that."

"He even asked both your dad and Rob for permission," Buzzy told me.

"And he had this really romantic evening planned," Rizzo added. "With roses and a candlelit dinner, Gabby and Gayle helped him plan it."

"And I ruined it all," Rob said, sounding perfectly miserable.

"Yeah, I'm not even in a state where I can get down on my knee," Jack concluded sadly.

"That doesn't matter," I said. "You can still ask me after the Games."

"No I can't," he said. "You'll be expecting it and it won't be as romantic anymore."

"Then figure out a new romantic way," I told him.

"I just did," he said softly and slowly. The entire team was staring at him silently, watching him as he motioned me towards him. I walked towards him as if in a trance, like we were the only two people in the whole world. "Sit on my knee," he whispered in a deep husky voice that seriously turned me on.

"But it's hurt," I protested.

"My good knee," he told me. He seemed sure about it, so I complied. After I was settled on his knee, he looked into my eyes. "You're the most amazing woman in the world, Ellie. I love you more than anything in the world."

"And I love you too," I told him.

"Ellie, listen to me," he said. "I love you, Elizabeth Grace McClanahan, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He paused for breath and pulled something out of his pocket, but he wouldn't let me see it. "Elizabeth, will you do me the honor of consenting to spend the rest of your life with a lousy, crazy Irish-Catholic boy from Boston?"

I smiled, kissed him, and threw my arms around his neck. "Are you going to answer him?" Baker bellowed. "C'mon, Ellie! The man is waiting for an answer."

Jimmy smiled sentimentally. "I think she gave him her answer already."

"Just say it," Christian yelled. "Just say yes!"

I smiled and bit my lip. "Of course I will," was all I could say. Suddenly, I gathered energy. "Yes, yes, of course," I giggled. "I'll marry you, Jack O'Callahan. I love you and I'll marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you; I need to."

Jack smiled and kissed me in front of everyone in McDonald's.

I was so happy that I completely forgot to eat dinner that night, but I never cared. I was going to marry Jack O'Callahan, the guy who used to hate my brother. Who knew that in seven short months he would become my reason for living, my other half?

A/N: Okay, so I had this whole great scene lined up in my head where Jack was going to propose to Ellie after the US beat the Soviets, but then I was writing this chapter and I thought "well, that's all well and good, but somehow I think that getting proposed to at McDonalds in front of the entire team would be just as romantic and memorable." So, this is it. Please review!


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

A/N: I definitely don't own _Miracle_.

**Staceygirl:** I'm glad you liked it. I was trying to make them seem like a family and it worked!

**CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:** Thank you! Your review made me smile.

**Meadow567:** The best proposal you've read? That's high praise; thank you!

**Icesk83r7-08:** Thanks!

**Prettypinkcheer5:** I update as fast as I can.

**Shelbers:** Yeah, my computer hates some writers; you just roll with the punches. They could be like John and Elizabeth Edwards and go to McDonald's every year on their anniversary because that's where Jack proposed to her. (Except the Edwards go to Wendy's, but that's another story.)

**Hica Lynn:** New reviewer! I love new reviewers. I'm glad you loved the McDonalds scene. It seems to be fairly popular.

**Darkdestiny2000:** Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, I had tons of fun writing all that stuff about the "tailless wonder".

**Jack's POV**

Ellie agreed to marry me! We agreed to wait to tell our families until they arrived in Lake Placid the next day. I wasn't completely in favor of that idea because I wanted to tell anyone and everyone that Ellie was going to be my wife…in several months. Rob had asked us to not have our wedding this summer because Emily was due in April and they were planning their wedding for September. I pointed out to him that this summer Ellie and I would be moving to Chicago and she wouldn't have time to plan a wedding until this fall anyway. Then I would be playing hockey until next April at the earliest so we wouldn't have time to get married until next year anyway. "Have you told Ellie that yet?" he asked me.

"She's the one who told me that," I replied. "She is the most organized person I've ever met."

"Heidi did that to her," Mac said. "She used to be organized but never this organized."

I shrugged. "I don't mind it that much though. It's just this part of her personality that intrigues me and makes me love her more."

He laughed. "I know what you mean. Emily is obsessed with cleaning. She told me that cleanliness is next to godliness but I told her that there is a thin line between cleanliness and insanity and she was flirting with it."

"Actually, there's a thin line between genius and insanity and you're flirting with it," Ellie said walking into the room with Heidi on her hip.

I smiled at her as she sat down next to me. "Hey."

"Hey," she breathed snuggling up next to me. "How are you?"

"The Sweden game is tomorrow and I can't play," I told her. "But the girl of my dreams wants to marry me, so I guess I'm doing pretty well right about now."

She nodded. "I'd say you're doing well. You've got me and Heidi, and you'll be playing during the medal round."

"If the team makes it that far," I muttered.

"Are you saying you don't have any confidence in the rest of the guys and me?" Mac asked.

"No," I said. "I'm just thinking negatively right now."

"Why?" Ellie asked. "You have Heidi and me."

I kissed her cheek. "Oh so true, but I can't play and it's bugging me."

She leaned against me. "I know. But think positively and hope that the team makes it to the medal round and you can play."

I stroked her cheek with my thumb and smiled. "What would I do without you?"

"Be lonely and depressed," she replied with a laugh.

"Then I guess I need you."

She shrugged. "I suppose you do, but I think we're even because I need you too."

"Then I guess we are even," I told her. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Yep," she said slowly.

"And you, Mac?" I asked. "Are you ready?"

"OC," he said. "It's the Olympics; I was born ready for this."

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Mac talking on the phone. "Hey, honey, are you coming to the game tonight?"

I figured it was Emily and grabbed my crutches. I hobbled off to the bathroom so I could take a shower and dress. Ellie said she might stop by on her way to breakfast, but she wasn't sure what Heidi would be interested in doing. Heidi was not known for her patience when it came to breakfast, or any other meal of the day.

When I got out of the shower, Mac was still talking on the phone. "Are you sure that's safe?" he asked sounding worried. "I don't know if you should be doing things like that right now. Emily, you're due in two months; you cannot do things like that."

I seriously did not want to know what they were talking about; knowing them it was probably something dirty. I started heading for the door when someone knocked. "Come in," I yelled.

And Ellie came in, carrying Heidi on her right hip. "We were wondering if you wanted to join us for breakfast."

"Absolutely," I replied. "Where are we going?"

"This place here in the Village that serves traditional breakfast foods. Rizzo and Gabby said we should meet them there."

"Gabby is here?" I asked.

My fiancée nodded. "She got here about an hour ago with Emily and Nina, so we were thinking we could all go out to breakfast."

"Rob's talking to Emily on the phone right now," I told her.

"I know," Ellie replied. "She's at their hotel room right now resting. She said they'd meet us later. You want to blow this pop stand?"

I nodded and we headed out the door into a blustery cold February day in upstate New York. We walked down the street to a small family-style restaurant where we found Johnson, Nina, Rizzo, Gabby, Jimmy, and Rammer wanting for us. "We're still waiting for Buzzy and Gayle," Jimmy told us as we sat down. "But they should be here soon."

"Do you have a ring yet?" Nina asked almost the minute Ellie's rear hit the seat.

Ellie nodded and showed Nina her left hand. I had given Ellie my grandmother's engagement ring, which was a plain silver band with a single diamond solitaire in the center. "It's gorgeous," Gabby squealed. "Jack, where did you get this ring? It must be like an antique or something."

"It was my grandmother O'Callahan's engagement ring," I told her. "And when she died, my father gave it to me to keep until I found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

"That's so romantic," Nina sighed. "I'd love a proposal like that."

Johnson rolled his eyes. "Both my grandmothers are still alive," he said. "And besides, I'm not proposing to you in McDonald's; Jack already used all the romance in that idea."

"Plus there is no way anyone is stealing my method of proposing," I told him. "I'm going to do something like trademark it."

Ellie laughed. "I'm not sure that's possible."

"Okay, well, no one can rip-off my style."

"Whatever," Johnson said. "I'm going to do something a million times more creative than you, OC."

"Watch," Rizzo said. "He'll end up proposing to her after a romantic dinner in a candlelit restaurant."

"That is so cliché," Ellie commented. "At least Jack's proposal was something I'll always remember and I can tell our children about."

"Yeah, it'll go like this," Jimmy said. "Heidi, you were actually there when this happened, but kids, your dad proposed to me at McDonalds."

"By the time we tell Heidi that story she will already know that she's adopted," I said firmly.

"We plan to tell her when she's pretty young," Ellie added. "It's important to us that she know the truth about her parents."

**Ellie's POV**

The team had practice in the afternoon to get them ready to play Sweden, so Jack had physical therapy. Actually, it was more like I tried to get him to try some exercises and he tried to kiss me. "Jack, do you or don't you want to be ready to play in the medal round?"

"I do," he said.

"Then stop trying to kiss me and do your exercises. If you're good, then I'll think about kissing you later."

"Are you serious?" he asked.

I nodded. "Sure thing."

So, being the good boy that he is, Jack did everything I asked him to do for the next two hours. When the team started coming back into the locker room, my incorrigible fiancée looked up at me. "Now can I have a kiss?"

I smiled mischievously and kissed his nose. "There you go, sweetheart."

"Oh, darling," he replied. "That just was not good enough."

"Well, we're in public, in front of immature boys. That's all you're going to get."

"But I want more," he whined.

"Not now," I protested. "But maybe later, if you're good."

"What about Heidi?"

"Oh, Gayle wants to watch her for awhile before she surrenders her to your mother. Don't tell Buzzy, but I think she wants a baby."

Jack smiled. "Ellie, she's met Heidi; everyone who meets Heidi wants a baby. Heidi is just the kind of baby who makes people fall in love with babies."

"I know," I told him. "I fell in love with her the minute I laid eyes on her. Did I ever tell you I was there when she was born?"

"No, you didn't," he replied. "That's cool."

"Yeah, Ron is scared of blood and Julie's mother refused to be there, so I was there. It was loud and bloody, but totally amazing."

"Loud?"

"Julie was screaming and swearing for like twenty-seven hours. She wanted me to kill Ron at one point. At another point, she was threatening to have him castrated," I said with a smile. "Sometimes I'm afraid that I'll try to kill you when I deliver our kids."

"I think I can protect myself," he told me. "And besides, I'd know you wouldn't mean anything you said when you were in labor."

I kissed him on the lips. "That's how I know you love me and how I know I love you too."

"I thought you said you weren't going to kiss me like that in front of the guys," Jack said, seeming blown away.

I shrugged. "I changed my mind. I just couldn't resist you."

"I love how I can have so much control over you," he said with a mischievous smile.

"It's only because I'm madly in love with you."

"You're beautiful," he said, rubbing his thumb along my cheek. "What do you say we bust this pop stand?"

I smiled. "Hey, if it involves leaving this stink hole, I'm all for it."

He grabbed his crutches and hopped to the floor. We made our way back to our rooms to get changed and eat before the game. Jack had to wear a suit and tie while Herb wanted me to wear either a nice pantsuit or a skirt and blouse ensemble. I was supposed to meet my family and Jack's family at a restaurant after I got changed, but I got a surprise when I got out of the shower to the sound of a ringing phone.

"Hello? Elizabeth McClanahan, physical therapist to the United States Olympic Men's Hockey Team," I said.

"Lizzie dear, it's your mother," an all-too-familiar voice said.

"Mother, how are you?" I asked trying to sound enthused.

"Oh, I'm quite well."

"That's good to hear. Mother, how did you get this number?"

"I called Mrs. Pierce and asked her how to contact you because you weren't picking up your phone. And I desperately need to ask you a question. Where are you dear?" Mother sounded drunk again, which meant nothing good.

"In Lake Placid for the Olympics."

"Oh, is that happening this week? I completely forgot about it," she said trying to sound like a melancholy Southern belle. "Well, I'll have to call your dear father and ask him for the tickets he bought for Katherine and myself."

"Umm, two problems with that, Scarlet O'Hara," I told her. "First off, Dad is already in Lake Placid with Natalie and Jennie, and secondly, he sold your tickets."

"What?" she gasped. "My dear, you must be joking. To whom did he sell our tickets?"

"Umm, he sold yours to Jennie's boyfriend, Charlie, and we sold yours to Jack's younger brother's girlfriend."

"What?" she bellowed; I think she was loud enough to be heard in Canada. "You sold my tickets to the imbecile your idiot sister is dating?""

"He likes hockey," I replied calmly.

"And you sold your precious baby sister's tickets to that Irish jerk you're dating?" she squawked.

"Not to my fiancée," I said. "To his brother's girlfriend."

"Your what?" she gasped.

"My fiancée, the man I'm going to marry, Jack O'Callahan."

"You're my daughter and there is no way I could ever let you marry that man."

"Mrs. Miranda McClanahan, I may be your daughter, but you do not own me. I can marry whomever I choose and I have chosen Jack O'Callahan because I love him."

"If you're going to marry that subhuman creature, then I will be forced to disinherit you."

I shrugged. "That's fine by me. Now if you'll excuse me I have to dress and eat dinner before I get to the rink for the Sweden game. Good-bye, Mrs. McClanahan; I'll see you around." And without waiting for a response I hung up the phone. Why couldn't my mother just leave me alone?

Half an hour later, I walked into the restaurant where I was meeting the O'Callahans and my family. The team was eating dinner together but Herb had told me I could meet with my family. "It's not like you'd enjoy a meal of male bonding anyway," he had told me. "You'll enjoy eating with your sisters more."

So, I did eat with my family. I met James's girlfriend, Nora, and she was a real sweetheart. Annie O'Callahan had me laughing. Her mother told met that she frequently answers the phone "County Morgue, you stab 'em; we slab 'em."

"Are you serious?" I asked.

Annie shrugged. "It's fun. Sometimes, it gets me in trouble with Mom and Dad, but for the most part, it just confuses people."

Her mother shook her head. "Annie, you might want to find out who you're talking to before you say things like that. You nearly gave your grandmother a heart attack last week. And Mr. Silk said you scared him half to death when he called and you answered the phone saying, 'O'Callahan's Cannibal Roast, do you want to eat or be eaten?'"

"It's funny!" Annie protested.

"You scare people, Anne," her mother told her. "You need to be more careful about that."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Fine." Then she turned to me. "So, how are things with you and Jack?"

I shrugged. "They're going well." I wanted to wait to tell them about the engagement until Jack was there so we could do it together.

"Where's Heidi?" she asked me.

"Gayle Schneider's bringing her here soon."

"Can I watch her during the game?" she asked eagerly. "I love babies."

"Sure," I told her. "I was planning on giving her to your mom but you can help."

"Sweet, hey, Natalie, you and I get to take care of Heidi during the game."

Natalie came over to us. "Are you serious? That's awesome. Ellie, Charlie and Jennie are playing kissy-face again. He keeps calling her pookie and sugar-cookie and then kissing her on the lips."

"Tell them to cut it out or I'll kill them," I replied.

She went to talk to them and Charlie came over to me a few minutes later. "So you're going to kill me if I don't stop kissing your sister?"

I shrugged. "I guess so."

"Why?" the little shrimp asked. "You have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, but we don't make out during dinner."

"They wait for dessert," Annie inserted.

"Anne Kathleen O'Callahan," her mother said in a threatening tone. "I can hear you."

"Rats."

Charlie looked at me. "So when should I kiss your sister?"

"Not in restaurants," I told him. "You can kiss her when you bring her home from a date or when you are at the top of a Ferris wheel, but not in the middle of a restaurant."

"At the top of a Ferris wheel?" Charlie asked.

"Yep." I nodded.

"When am I going to be at the top of a Ferris wheel with your sister?"

"When you take her to the Minnesota state fair this summer, silly," I teased.

He shook his head. "Jennie was right; you're nuts."

"Everyone's nuts but me and thee and I'm not so sure about thee," I told him.

"What?" he said, staring at me, completely confused.

"Sanity is relative."

"Where do you kiss Jack?" he asked me.

"What?"

"Where do you kiss my brother?" Annie asked.

Charlie looked at her. "You're Jack's sister?"

"Last time I checked," she replied.

"I never would have guessed that."

"Yeah, I look like my mom's family, but James and John look like my dad."

Charlie nodded. "Well, I should get back to Jennie." Then he left.

"When do you kiss my brother?" Annie asked again after he was gone.

"When I feel like it," I replied. "It's really none of your business anyway, little girl."

She smiled. "I'm going to be so happy when you and Jack get married. I'm going to have the world's coolest sister-in-law."

I hugged her. "You're pretty cool, too."

"Thanks."

"So, have you decided where you're going to college?" I asked her.

"Yep, I'm going to follow in Jack and James's footsteps and head off to Boston University."

"And study what?"

"I'm thinking about teaching kindergarten."

I sighed. "Oh, that is such a cute age. You'll love it and you'll be great at it."

Annie grinned. "Thanks."

Just then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder and looked up to see my dad. "Hey," I said.

"Save your hay; you might meet a horse someday," he replied. "Ellie, I need to talk to you about something, privately."

"Well, I need to head over to the rink, so if you want to walk me over, we can talk then."

Dad nodded. "That's fine."

We grabbed our coats, Dad gave Jennie and James the tickets, and we paid the bill and headed out. We walked along in silence for a few minutes just watching our breath before I said, "All right Dad, what's up?"

"Tomorrow morning, I'm having your mother served with divorce papers," he said slowly.

"What? How? You're in New York and she's in Minnesota."

He nodded. "I know that, Ellie. I had everything taken care of before the girls and I left town and I arranged it with my attorneys that she would be served with the papers at nine-thirty tomorrow morning."

"I knew this was coming," I said under my breath. "I knew this was going to happen. I just didn't realize that it would be now."

"I know this isn't a complete surprise to you," my father told me. "And I wish I didn't have to do this to your sisters, but I need a divorce from your mother. I don't love her, she doesn't love me, and I need to get away from her; Ellie, she's an alcoholic. You can't expect me to stay married to an alcoholic."

"I'm not," I said. "It's kind of ironic that you're getting divorced now. Emily's going to have the baby in April and then she and Rob are getting married in September. And just last night, Jack asked me to marry him."

"And I would be correct in presuming that you said yes?" Dad asked.

I nodded. "Of course."

"Then congratulations, he's a good man. You know he asked both your brother and me for our permission to propose?"

"Yeah, Buzzy told me last night," I said with a smile.

"Good old Buzzy," Dad replied. "Well, Jack will make you happy, Emily will make Rob happy, and now maybe I can find someone who will make me happy."

I smiled. "Oh, you will, Dad, someday. Have you told the girls yet? About the divorce?"

He shook his head. "No, you're the first. I know you can keep it close to your chest. Don't tell anyone yet; I don't want Rob to have this in his head until after the Games are over. I'm not telling the girls because I know they'll blab."

"What about Mom?" I said.

"What about her?"

"She called me today. What if she calls Rob or the girls and tells them?"

"Then I'll deal with it then, but I doubt she'll call anyone. She'll probably get drunk out of her skull for a few days and then go buy something that costs hundreds of dollars only to have her credit card rejected. Then she'll get drunk again and God alone knows what will happen then. That's why I asked Henry to watch her while we're gone." Henry was our butler when I was little; Mom fired him when he tried to put her in rehab, but he's still close to the rest of the family.

"Why will her credit card be rejected?" I asked.

"I had all her credit cards cancelled earlier today," Dad explained. "Miranda is going to have go out and earn her own way in the world from now on. She's going to have to go out and get a job to support Kathie, the house, and her way of life."

"The world is changing," I whispered as we reached the rink. "Well, I have to go in now. Good luck, Daddy." I gave my dad a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek

"Thanks, sweetie. Tell Rob I said good luck," he told me as I went inside.

As I walked down the hall to the locker room, I realized that I had just called my dad "Daddy" for the first time since I was about seven. Holy cow, the world was changing.

The boys played Sweden that evening, but I don't remember a single minute of the game. I sleepwalked through everything. Rob suffered a leg contusion in the first period and I had to help Doc with that, but I barely remember a thing of any of it. I was in shock over everything that evening between my mother's phone call and my father's news. When the game was over, I retrieved Heidi from Mrs. O'Callahan and went back to my room where I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

A/N: Well, that's chapter twenty-two. Please review! Okay, so quick other thing. Back in chapter sixteen, Rob and Emily decided that if they had a boy they would name him **Logan David** and if they had a girl, her name would be **Meghan Joy**. Well, now, you the reviewers get to choose the sex of the baby in your review. Let me know what day of April the baby should be born on and whether it should be a boy (Logan David) or a girl (Meghan Joy).


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

A/N: Okay, so I don't own _Miracle_. What else is new? Well, this chapter is new.

**Indiangirl2008:** One vote for Logan David

**Meadow567:** Sweetness!

**Darkdestiny2000:** Another vote for Logan David, you're the third.

**Staceygirl:** Jack's family is based on mine; his sister's "County morgue, you stab 'em; we slab 'em" is how my sister and I answer the phone.

**Prettypinkcheer5:** Vote number four for Logan David, I'm glad you think Jack and Ellie are perfect for each other.

**Shelbers:** It's looking pretty unanimous for Logan David. Thanks for the encouragement.

Ellie's POV 

When I woke up the next morning, I was still in shock over my dad's news. Ever since he left Mother, I knew that the day was coming when he would eventually divorce her; I just didn't think it would be now. It was all real now. Mother and Dad as I had known them since childhood were over. My parents weren't going to be this united pair I'd thought of them as since the day I was born. Going to my parents' house for Sunday brunch was over; now I would go to one parent's house one week and the other parent's house the next week. And to top it all off, I had to keep this a secret from my siblings until after the Olympics were over. Thank you dearest parents; I think you may have completely decimated my sanity for the rest of my born days.

Oh what I would give to be able to at least tell Jack about this. But I didn't need to be bothering him with that kind of thing during the Olympics. He was already dealing with rehabbing his leg in a week. And I'm flipping out! Even Heidi knows something is up; when I retrieved her from Mrs. O'Callahan last night, she was giving me funny looks. Maybe she had gas; that must have been it.

After breakfast, Heidi and I met Gabby, Emily, and Gayle to do a little shopping. "I need a wedding dress!" Emily moaned as we walked past a dress shop. "But I'm so fat that no one would ever even think of selling me a wedding dress."

Gayle smiled and patted Emily's back. "Honey, your wedding isn't until September and you're due in early April. We can find you a dress after the baby comes. If you're really worried, I'm sure that you can wear my wedding dress; it should fit you."

"Gayle, you're a twig; I'm an elephant," Emily exploded. "I'm not going to fit into your dress."

"Correction, Emily," Gabby told her calmly. "You're pregnant and you're going to have that baby in less than two months. I can almost guarantee you that Gayle's dress will fit you by September."

"You can ALMOST guarantee?" my brother's fiancée bellowed. "ALMOST? Are you saying that I'm going to stay fat after the baby comes?"

"No," I interjected. "That's not what she's saying at all. She's saying that she's stupid and uses adjectives in circumstances in which they don't apply."

"Exactly," Gabby said. "And besides, if you need anything done to Gayle's dress, all you have to do is ask Ellie and she can do it for you."

"What would I need done to the dress?" Emily asked.

"Umm, well, for starters, you'll probably need it lengthened; you are taller than Gayle after all," I pointed out. "And you might want to put sleeves on it because Minnesota Septembers are considerably cooler than Minnesota Junes."

Emily nodded. "That's true and I could just have you do all the alterations."

"It would give you an excuse to come visit me in Chicago," I told her.

"What?" Gabby practically screamed.

"Why are you going to Chicago?" Emily asked in a barely controlled voice.

"Umm, Jack," I said.

"Honey, Jack's from Boston," Gabby told me.

"And the Blackhawks have been recruiting him for the past year," I told her. "He's going to sign with them over the summer and we're both moving there over the summer."

"But you'll be in Minnesota in April when my baby comes, won't you?" Emily asked worriedly.

"Of course," I told her. "I'm not moving until June."

"Okay," she said slowly. "It's just I'm going to need you with me when I have this baby. I can't do this by myself and I don't know how much Rob will be able to handle."

"Yeah, he has a problem with blood," I said. "It wouldn't be pretty if you had him in the delivery room."

"Let me get this straight," Gayle interrupted me. "Rob is a hockey player and he's scared of blood?"

"Yep," I told her. "He's been scared of blood since we were kids. When I broke my leg my junior year of high school, it was bleeding like crazy and he passed out."

"You broke your leg and it was bleeding?" Gabby said. "I'm confused."

"The bone broke through the muscle and tissue," I explained. "It was pretty gross; I couldn't even look at that leg for like three months after they took the cast off."

Emily smiled. "And Rob passed out when he saw that leg when you broke it. That's great; I'm going to have to tease him about that."

I smiled and hugged her. "You're going to be the best sister-in-law ever."

The team had the evening off, so Jack, Heidi, and I went out for dinner with his family to tell them about our engagement. We were planning on telling my sisters later that evening since Rob and my dad already knew. "I'm worried," I said.

"Why?" Jack asked. "My family loves you."

"I know," I said. "But still we're telling people that we're getting married. That's making it official."

"You told your dad and the whole team saw it; I gave you the ring. We've made it official already, sweetheart."

"I guess you're right," I sighed. "It's just we're getting married and my parents are separated. It's just kind of ironic."

Jack hugged me. "We're not your parents; we're going to make it."

"How do you know that?" I asked him.

"Because this is true love, I'd die for you; we're not getting married because of societal expectations or having our reception in a country club."

"Where are we having our reception?" I asked him.

My gorgeous fiancée shrugged. "I don't know, just not in a country club. Maybe we'll get married in my parents' church in Boston and then have our reception in my parents' backyard."

"That sounds romantic," I said looking off into the distance. "But what about my relatives in St. Paul?"

He shrugged. "We'll figure things out; we've got a year and a half after all."

"It's so strange," I said. "We're engaged, but we're not getting married for another year and a half."

"Yeah, but we don't want to steal Rob and Emily's thunder this summer and then we'll simply have no time to get married until next summer."

"And Anne of Green Gables was engaged for three years."

"Why?"

"She was waiting for Gilbert to finish medical school."

Jack nodded. "Well, you have it easy; you only have to wait until the end of the hockey season next year."

"And then we'll be the two happiest people in the world."

He smiled. "Are you ready to face my family now?"

I nodded and we went into the restaurant where his family was waiting for us.

**Jack's POV**

We walked into the restaurant and joined my family at a large round table. My sister immediately took Heidi from Ellie and started playing with her. Nora was exclaiming about how cute Heidi was and all I could do was smile proudly. As far as I was concerned, Ron was out of the picture and I was Heidi's father.

"So, Jack," my father asked. "How's the leg?"

"It's getting better," I told him. "I'm hoping to be able to play in the medal round. My therapy is progressing well, which is mostly due to the work of my excellent physical therapist."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ellie blush and I smiled at her. She could be so shy at times and I loved it; actually, she was the shy quiet one and I was the loud, outgoing obnoxious one. But it worked for us and we were happy.

Just then my mother's voice burst into my reverie about my lovely fiancé. "So, Ellie, is that a ring I see on your left ring finger?"

Ellie smiled shyly and looked at me, so I answered, "Yeah, Ma, that's a ring all right. Two days ago, I asked Ellie to marry me."

Ma gasped and Dad stared at me. "Are you serious?" James asked. "That's so great. Ellie, I'd like to welcome you to the family."

"When's the wedding?" Annie spurted. "Can I be a bridesmaid?" Annie may have been a month away from turning eighteen but some days she refused to behave it. Being six years old was her area of expertise.

"You're getting married!" Ma gasped. "My little baby boy is getting married."

"Ma, he's almost twenty-three and he's your oldest," Annie pointed out. "He's not exactly anyone's little baby boy."

"And he's Ellie's now anyway," James pointed out.

"But he was my first baby," Ma sighed. "I remember wiping his little behind; oh, it was so cute and soft."

I sighed and Ellie giggled. "Really?" she said.

"He was so much fun to bathe," Mom recalled.

I looked at the table and started examining the pattern on the tablecloth. "Do we have to discuss this now?" I muttered.

James laughed. "Jack, you know that Mom only does things like this to make you squirm."

"Yeah, but I still hate it."

Dad hadn't spoken yet and I was worried about his opinion, so I looked at him. He looked me in the eye and nodded. "Jack, I'm proud of you, very proud of you. Ellie, I'm very glad you'll be marrying my son and joining our family."

I smiled. "Thanks, Dad. I really appreciate it."

"Thank you, Mr. O'Callahan," Ellie said.

"Ellie, I've known you were the girl for my son since I met you in Cambridge last fall and I'm very pleased that you'll be marrying my son."

It was Ellie's turn to blush and I had to smile. I had fallen in love with her and now my family was falling in love with her. I know they say that there's no such thing as the perfect woman, but I had a found a woman who was perfect for me.

"When will the wedding be?" my younger sister begged eagerly.

"We were planning in the summer of 1981," Ellie said. "My brother's fiancé is having their baby in April and then they are getting married this September, so we don't want to steal their thunder."

"And then I'll be busy with the Blackhawks until late spring," I added. "So we thought that next summer would be the best time for our wedding."

My parents nodded. I guess since we'd pretty much made up our minds already there wasn't much they could say. "Can I be a bridesmaid?" Annie asked. "Please?" She was making puppy eyes, big pitiful puppy eyes that had given her whatever she wanted when I baby-sat her when she was a kid.

"That's Ellie's decision," I told her.

Annie turned to my fiancée and smiled. "Please!" The puppy eyes and six-year-old attitude were back.

Ellie smiled at her. "I'll have to think about it; I haven't thought about any of that yet."

"Just remember, I'm Jack's sister," my sister pointed out.

"And just remember that I have sisters of my own as well as friends."

Annie sighed. "Fine, I'll wait and see."

My mother looked at us. "Do you two know where you want to have the wedding?"

"We're not sure yet," I said. "Either Boston or St. Paul."

"You could get married in the church where your father and I were married," Mom suggested. "I'm sure that Fr. O'Connor would be more than happy to marry you two."

"It's a possibility," I said. "But Ellie's father will be paying for the wedding, so we thought he should have some say in this."

My father looked at us. "Ellie, your father has agreed to pay for the whole thing?"

She nodded. "He wants to do this for me and he can more than afford it."

"All right," my mom said. "Then I guess we can't argue with that."

"My father wouldn't let you argue with that," Ellie said lightly. "He's very set in his ways and he believes that it is a father's duty to pay for his daughters' weddings."

"Rose and I will find something to do to help with the wedding," my dad told us.

"We'll decorate the church or something," my mom said.

Ellie and I smiled at that. The idea of my parents decorating an entire church by themselves was laughable. But that's the way my parents are; if something needs to be done, they'll find a way to do it.

After dinner with my family, Ellie, Heidi, and I went to meet Jennie and Natalie for desert. Jennie had brought along Charlie, of course. The kid was still terrified of me, which made me laugh. Ellie and I ordered coffee while the other three ordered hot chocolate; then we turned to the desert menu to contemplate our choices. While we were looking, Charlie kept shooting me suspicious looks. Ellie must have noticed this as well because she asked him, "Charlie, are you all right?"

Charlie completely ignored her, so I decided to try. "Charlie, are you okay?"

There was no response and Ellie patted his arm. "Charlie? Are you all right?"

Jennie's boyfriend looked up at my fiancée. "Huh?"

"Are you all right?" she asked him. "You keep giving Jack funny looks."

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," he stumbled over his words. "It's just kind of weird being here with my girlfriend's family. None of my friends or family is here except Jennie; it's just weird. I've never been in a situation like this."

"Oh, okay," Ellie said. But I could tell that his response had left her with more questions than she'd had when she first asked him her question.

"So, why'd you two decide to have dessert with us?" Natalie asked.

"Oh, we just wanted to spend time with you and talk to you," Ellie said casually.

"What do you want to talk to us about?" Jennie asked eagerly.

Ellie looked at me and smiled. I reached under the table and started stroking with her left hand, the hand my ring was on. She looked up at me and nodded; then she put her hand on the table.

"Holy cow," Jennie muttered. "Are you serious?"

Natalie stared first at Ellie's hand and then at me. "Whoa."

"Two days ago, Jack asked me to marry him," she began.

"And this wonderful woman said yes," I added. My fiancée smiled up at me and I kissed her nose.

"When's the wedding?" Natalie begged excitedly.

"Is this for real?" Jennie asked. "Are you two really getting married?"

Ellie nodded. "We are; we're talking about a summer 1981 wedding."

Both her sisters smiled immediately. "We get to be in the wedding, right?" Natalie asked.

Ellie shrugged. "Probably, I haven't made any of those decisions yet."

My reaction to that question was why does every teenage girl immediately ask that question? I knew that Emily was only having her sister and Ellie in her wedding party which probably meant that Jennie and Natalie were feeling a little left out of that wedding. I knew Ellie would find some way to have them in the wedding, but they would probably be something like junior bridesmaids.

Charlie was just sitting there not really paying attention to the girl until he looked at me. "You realize that you're going to spend the next year and a half listening to Ellie plan this wedding."

I shrugged. "I know, but you only get married once, so I'll put up with it."

"Some people get married more than once," he replied.

"Ellie and I aren't going to be one of those couples," I protested.

"You may not want to be, but I'm sure that Ellie's parents were planning on being married forever when they got married."

"Look kid," I told him firmly. "Ellie and I are in love. Unlike Ellie's parents, we are not getting married to suit societal expectations; we are not being superficial about this relationship. We know what we're doing."

Charlie shrugged. "All right, I just don't want to see Jennie's family getting hurt."

I tried to hide a laugh. "Neither do I, Charlie; that's why I'm being so careful with Ellie and Heidi. I've been involved in their lives for the past seven months and I will not hurt them."

Jennie's boyfriend shrugged. "Okay, Jack, I'll just trust you on this. You are older than me."

Ellie smiled at me. "And we will make it; I just know it. And I love you so much."

I kissed her ear. "I love you too."

A/N: I know this is shorter than what you're used to but I wanted to get something up before I took off.


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

A/N: I'm back from Europe now; it was awesome and I want to go back. I still don't own _Miracle_. Thank you to all my reviewers who I can no longer comment to in my chapters but I still love all of you.

**Jack's POV**

The day finally came when I could play again, and that day just so happened to be the day of the Soviet game. Craig told me while Doc was looking me over. As soon as I heard the news, I wanted to go tell Ellie, but I couldn't; she was in the locker room talking to Mac about something. So, I quietly headed into the locker room and suited up with the rest of the team.

Ellie wasn't in the locker room when I came in. "She's with my dad," Mac told me. She needed to talk to him about something; there's something up with him. He keeps having private conversations with Ellie."

"I wouldn't worry about it," I replied casually. "He's probably just being the concerned father of the newly engaged young woman."

"I guess I'm just being paranoid right now," Mac confessed. "I mean I'm dealing with the Olympics, a baby due two months, and a wedding in seven months; I'm a busy man and it's starting to get to me."

"That's it," I told him. "Think positive."

"I just hope you're right," he said. "I don't know what I'd do if another detail of my life changed. Everything around me is changing and I need something stable in my life."

"Hey, my relationship with your sister is pretty stable," I pointed out. "That's not likely to change any time soon."

Mac smiled. "I sure hope you're right about that. You and my sister have something amazing going on."

I nodded. "You've got an amazing sister; you don't know what you've got."

We beat the Soviets. Everyone knows the story; I don't need to rehash it. The young college kids who didn't know anything defeated the world powerhouse. Yeah, everyone has heard that story at least twenty times in their life. But what few people know is the story of what happened after the game.

Ellie was in the locker room when I got back there and the first thing I did was pick her up; then I swung her around in a circle while kissing her. When I set her down, she smiled at me. "Jack O'Callahan, you reek of sweat and guy," she said. "Go take a shower."

"Okay," I replied before picking her up and walking into the shower room with her in my arms.

"Hey, put me down," she protested.

"Nope, you said I reek of guy and I've been holding you so that means you must reek like a guy too. Therefore, you need a shower as much as I do."

She squirmed and screamed; she hit me but nothing worked. I had her and I wasn't going to put her down. "Buzzy, turn on the water," I yelled walking into the shower.

"Buzzy, don't do it!" Ellie screamed.

"Too late," I said as Buzzy turned the shower on.

"William Schneider, I'm going to tell Gayle," Ellie threatened.

He shrugged. "Jack told me to do it and he's big and scary."

"And so both Jack and I get to shower in our clothes?"

"That is a weird idea," Buzzy replied. "Maybe you two could do this someplace else. After all, Ellie is wearing a white blouse."

I looked at my fiancée and realized that her blouse was quickly becoming see-through. "Well, this was lovely but we should get going," I told Buzzy as I set Ellie down.

"I'm going back to my room," she told me firmly. "I need to take a shower and get dressed."

Two hours later, the entire team plus significant others and families was gathered in a large banquet hall in the Athletes' Village. Ellie was balancing Heidi on her hip while talking to Silk's mom and watching me out of the corner of her eye. After Mrs. Silk left Ellie, I came up behind her and whispered in her ear, "I noticed you noticing me and I would like to notify you that I noticed you too."

She laughed and turned around. "Hey, Jack, I noticed you."

I took Heidi out of her arms and kissed the baby's cheek. "Heidi, my darling, I also noticed you. You're almost as beautiful as your mother."

The baby smiled at me as did Ellie. "You're forgiven for the shower you gave me," Ellie told me. "I've decided that it's not worth fighting with you over stupid things like that. Besides, you just handed the Soviet Union their first defeat in twenty years, so I'll allow you a little celebratory craziness."

I kissed her cheek. "Thank you for your generosity, kind lady."

"It's only because I love you," she replied.

"Well, I love you too," I told her as I shifted Heidi to my hip. "And I love this little princess. You two are my world."

She smiled at me. "You're my everything, Jack; you know that."

I nodded and smiled.

A few minutes later, Rob came over with Emily. Rob gave Ellie a quick hug and she kissed his cheek. "I'm so proud of you," she told him.

"Don't rush the praise yet," he told her. "We still have to play Finland."

"Robbie, after the Soviets, Finland will be a breeze," his twin replied confidently. "Besides, I have faith in you."

Rob smiled at his sister. "You're crazy. You have faith in me even when no one else does. I'm not sure what you see in me."

"Ah, I'm your sister," Ellie told him. "I know that somewhere underneath all that charm and those good looks of yours is hidden a decent person."

Rob stuck out his tongue at his sister. "I think Emily loves me more than you do so I'm going away now. I don't like you anymore; you keep secrets from me."

"What secrets am I keeping from you?" she asked.

"I don't know but you keep having private meetings with Dad and nobody knows what you two talk about so it looks like you're keeping secrets for him."

I knew from the look on Ellie's face that Rob was skating on thin ice with that statement and I think Rob knew it too. All Ellie said was, "What Dad and I are discussing is private and if you want to know about it, go ask him. It's his business, not mine."

"He's made it your business by telling you about it," Rob retorted.

"But it's still about him first and foremost," she replied firmly. "And if you want to know anything about it, ask him."

"Fine, I will," he told her. "I'll talk to him after the game tomorrow."

"That's your business," she said. "I'm not your mother."

"I should hope you're not," Rob said. "So stop trying to explain things you know nothing about." And thusly I knew that yet another fight between the McClanahan twins had begun. I also knew that this one was not going to be easily overcome either. Rob was mad about something that had nothing to do with his sister and he was taking it out on her. My guess was that he was mad at Emily for some reason and so he was making Ellie bear the full brunt of it.

My guess was proved correct but not until after we beat Finland the next day. That's another story everyone knows. Here's something most people don't know. After the team celebration party, Mr. McClanahan announced to his son and younger daughters that he had filed for divorce from their mother. Ellie had known about this for a while now and I felt awful for her. She had spent the past two weeks know that her parents' marriage was over and couldn't talk to anyone about it.

But Rob didn't feel sorry for her; instead, he blew up at her. "How come you never told any of us?" he yelled. "You should have talked to me. I'm your twin."

"Dad swore me to secrecy," she whispered.

"I don't care what Dad swore you to," he bellowed back. "I'm you're twin and you should tell me when things like this happen. I do have a right to know about these kind of things."

"I was trying to respect Dad's wishes," Ellie said. "The last time I checked the fifth commandment was 'honor thy father and thy mother' and I try to obey that as best I can."

"Even when it means keeping secrets from your twin brother?" Rob demanded.

"When that's what my father asks of me, yes, I will do that," she told him. "Part of respecting Dad is obeying him when he makes a reasonable request. He didn't want you to be stressed out about the divorce during the Games."

"Why would I believe that?" he asked.

"Because Ellie is your sister and she loves you," I told him. "Rob, Ellie would never intentionally do something to hurt you. She was just trying to help you."

"Oh, and I suppose you knew about my parents' divorce before I did too," my fiancée's twin said, turning coldly on me.

"No, he didn't," Ellie told her brother firmly. "I didn't tell anyone about the divorce. The only person I talked to about it was Dad; I didn't even tell Heidi about it. Rob, you've got to have some faith in me. I do love you."

"Yeah, sure, you're just saying that," he said harshly. "I'm out of here; apparently, my family doesn't love me. I'm going to find Emily. At least, she would tell me if she had known about Mom and Dad's divorce."

As Rob started to leave, his father spoke up. "Robert, Emily did know about the divorce. I told her parents and they told her. She, like your sister, agreed to keep it a secret until I was ready to tell you."

Rob stared at Mr. McClanahan. "What? Emily was keeping this a secret from me? You have got to be kidding; Emily would never do a thing like that."

"She did do it," Mr. McClanahan told his son. "She did it because she thought that was best for you. She was doing it for your own good."

"Well, she hurt me. Did any of you think you weren't doing this for my own good? Did any of you think that I might have preferred to have known about this earlier instead of later? No, I don't think you did. Apparently, my family doesn't care about me." With that, he left the room and Ellie looked like she was going to cry.

**Late-March, 1980**

**Ellie's POV**

We hadn't seen Rob since the Olympics ended. He wasn't speaking to Emily or my dad or my sisters or any of his former teammates or me. It was like he just didn't want to see us or hear from us. Emily said he was being stupid and she hated him; she was also saying she never wanted to see him or hear from him again. She was due in a matter of weeks and she was looking at a future of being a single mother.

Jack was in Boston and I missed him. We talked on the phone nightly and we wrote letters daily. But we were both moving to Chicago in three months and then we'd see each other.

Emily was living with me and life was just absolutely insane. She wasn't working anymore, which meant she could help out with Heidi and that was great. But at the same time, she couldn't do that much because she was eight and a half months pregnant. I was traveling to Chicago about once every two weeks for job interviews. Chicago County General was very interested in me and had offered me a job working as a pediatric physical therapist, but Emily had demanded that I not leave St. Paul until after she had her baby.

"I've decided that the baby's last name is going to be Sibley," she told me one night when we were sitting around talking. "I love your family, but I hate your brother. He dropped out of my life when I needed him most. I lost my job and my apartment, so what does your brother do? He picks a fight with you and your dad and then he leaves. Rob is an ass and I can't believe I ever loved him. He just left me when I hit rock bottom. Ellie, I was seven months pregnant, unemployed, and homeless, so what does he do? He bails on me."

I sighed; I'd heard this story many times before. Two days before she left for the Olympics, Emily's boss had been forced to lay her off due to budget cuts. That meant she wouldn't be able to afford to pay her rent. So, she ended up moving in with me when we got home. That meant that all her baby furniture and clothes had also been moved into my apartment; let's just say that things were very crowded. And I had no clue what Emily was going to do when I moved to Chicago. My dad had said something once about taking care of Emily and her baby and I hoped he would follow through with it. Actually, I wanted my brother to resurface and explain himself, but my dad's idea was a second best.

On the evening of March 30, I was resting on the couch when someone knocked on the door. I opened the door and found four familiar faces there, the faces of four beautiful Boston boys. "Hey, Ellie," my fiancée said. "We thought we'd come out and see if we could be of any use right now."

"Jack!" I squealed, jumping into the arms of the most beautiful man alive. I kissed him and I swear I almost broke down crying.

"Hey, honey, I missed you too," he replied carrying me into the apartment. Jimmy, Rizzo, and Silky followed us. I vaguely noticed that they didn't have any luggage with them, but I figured they would explain that later.

Jack set me down on the couch and then sat down next to me. The other guys settled themselves in various places around the room. "So, what brings you guys to Minnesota?" I asked.

"Buzzy called us," Jimmy answered. "He said that Mac has been AWOL since right after the Olympics and someone needed to find him. He told us he thinks he knows where Mac is but he needs our help to find him."

"So, we all drove out here and we're staying with various guys on the team," Rizzo added. "Jack's staying with Buzzy and Gayle, Jimmy's staying with Rammer's family, Silky and I are stuck with Jannie."

"Stuck?" I asked.

"He snores, so Silky and I have to sleep in the living room. The couch is lumpy and the floor is hard, so neither one of us will be getting a good night's rest while we're in town."

"Jimmy's lucky because Rammer's mom has a spare, empty bed for him to sleep in," Silky added bitterly. "And Jack gets to sleep on Buzzy and Gayle's pull-out couch. Some people have all the luck."

"Silky," I told him. "If you guys can find Mac, I'll let you sleep in my bed while I'm at the hospital with Emily when she goes into labor."

"Are you serious?" Silky asked. "If you are, I will bow down and worship you for the rest of my natural life."

I laughed. "Yes, I'm serious."

Silky jumped up on the couch and started kissing me before Jack bellowed, "David Silk, I'm going to kill you if you kiss my fiancée one more time!"

I started laughing as Silky leapt away from me and settled himself back in a chair. Then I snuggled up against my fiancée and his warm body. Jack smiled down at me and wrapped his arm around me. "Some days, I wonder how you put up with some of my friends."

"Oh, you know I lived with my family for all those years; I got used to dealing with psychos."

He laughed and kissed me. "You're absolutely amazing."

"Okay, Jack, just because you have a girl and some of us don't doesn't mean that you have to rub that in our faces when we're here to help her," Jimmy teased.

Jack ignored Jimmy and instead turned to me asking, "So, how's Emily doing?"

"Oh, you know," I said. "She's due in two weeks and she thinks she's fat. She's unemployed and homeless; her fiancée abandoned her. How do you think she's doing?"

"Pretty miserable?" he asked.

I nodded. "She's sleeping in her room right now, but she spends most of her time eating ice cream, watching television, and moping. She just eats, sleeps, and mopes."

"And what do you do all day?" Jimmy asked me.

"Oh, you know, peel grapes and eat bon-bons," I replied. "No, I've been offered a job in Chicago, and until I move there in April, I'm working at a rehab facility here in St. Paul."

"Who watches Heidi all day?" Rizzo inquired.

"My old nanny from my childhood," I told him. "My dad is paying for it, which is amazing. Emily refuses to do any babysitting."

Jack pulled me closer as Jimmy said, "You poor thing. Do you ever get any rest?"

I smiled and replied, "Right now. I have the man I love with me and Heidi's asleep."

"And what about us?" Rizzo asked. "Do we get any credit for this period of rest you're having right now?"

I laughed. "Sure, Rizzo, you, Jimmy, and Silky are very relaxing people."

He beamed at me and I laughed. "Jack is the star of my life though."

Rizzo made a puppy face at me and sighed; I laughed again. The boys left soon afterwards because I was tired.

The next morning, I woke up to Emily screaming that she was in labor.

A/N: Okay, so the baby will come in the next chapter. And maybe Rob will come back.


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

A/N: I love reviewers; you guys are amazing. I still don't own _Miracle_, but I learned long ago to live with that.

**Ellie's POV**

So, we called Emily's doctor, Dr. Rosen, and he told us to bring her into the hospital. I called Gayle and she said she'd call Emily's parents. The guys had already left to look for Rob and it was only eight o'clock in the morning. I wasn't that surprised though. Buzzy can be really determined when he wants to and pairing that with two Irish tempers and one Italian one and Silky means action. Buzzy had enlisted a group of "take charge' people to help find my brother. (Buzzy, Rammer, Jannie, and Bah had been "on the case" for a few weeks already and were demanding reinforcements; hence our Boston visitors.)

Anyway, Emily, Heidi, and I went to the hospital. Erin picked Heidi up at the hospital and took my baby girl back to her place.

Emily was in a panic-again. We were in a hospital room and she was losing control. "I'm broke, I'm homeless, I'm single, I'm lonely, I'm desperate, and I'm pregnant! Why did Rob leave me?" Then she screamed.

This went on and one for hours. I was shocked at her ability to screech at high decibels. I had been there when Julie gave birth to Heidi and I can tell you she never screamed like that; she mostly just moaned, groaned, and whined. Emily, on the other hand, seemed to be having a nervous breakdown.

"Why didn't my parents come?" she sobbed. "I know I'm not married, but Rob was going to marry me before he realized how stupid I am."

"Emily," I protested. "You are not stupid."

"Then why am I here?" she screeched. "I'm having my ex-fiancée's baby and my parents aren't here! My commitment-phobic boyfriend of two years knocked me up. I lost my job because of budget cuts. My commitment-phobic boyfriend dumped me for no reason. I lost my apartment because I couldn't afford the rent. Ellie, what's going to happen to me and my baby?"

I shook my head. I had been afraid of that question for the past several weeks. I didn't want to tell her about my dad's offer until I knew he was going to extend it to her. "I don't know what you're going to do, Emily. You could look for another job."

"But who would hire a single mother? And what would I do with the baby all day?" she was screaming again.

"You could live with your parents," I suggested mildly. "I'm sure your mother would be glad to help you with the baby."

"Are you crazy?" she yelled. "My parents hate me; I'm a whore in their eyes. Why would they bother to take me in?"

I sighed, again. Sighing was getting to be my talent. "All right, talk to Gabby, Erin, and Nessa. See if any of them can help you."

"But Gabby has Rizzo, Erin has Rammer, Nessa has Bah, you're moving to Chicago to be with Jack, and Nina is moving to Wisconsin to be with Mark," she protested. It almost seemed like she was trying to make things more difficult than they had to be.

"I don't see Gabby going anywhere," I told her firmly; she was going to make her life work somehow. "And Erin would be glad to have you and your baby live with her. Nessa probably feels the same way. Erin and Nessa have everything that matters to them here and I can't see them moving anytime soon. Gabby may go to join Rizzo in Boston at some point, but I don't think that'll be anytime soon. Just talk to people. Trust me, Emily; things will work out. They always do."

"But why would any of them want to live with me? I'm such a-I don't know…I'm so hopeless!"

Okay, there was definitely something beyond pregnancy hormones and labor going on here. If my psychology classes were any clue, she was suffering from depression. She was exhibiting many of the classic symptoms including low self-esteem and frequent sadness. I knew that some of it was coming from pregnancy, but some of it…I don't know. I was pretty certain that she was depressed.

It was about eight in the evening when Gayle came into the room. "Ellie," she said. "I need to talk to you in the hall; it's an emergency."

"What could be more of an emergency than my baby coming?" Emily whined.

"It's a secret," Gayle recovered quickly. "Ellie, it'll just be for a few minutes."

"All right," I told her. "Emily, I'll just be a minute or two." Then Gayle and I went out in the hallway. "Okay, what's up?"

"Buzzy called me about half an hour ago. They found Robbie in a bar and they want you to come down there and help them."

"What about Emily?" I asked.

"I'll stay with her."

"Where are they?" I asked.

"Nate's," she replied, referring to a trashy bar in a not-so-nice party of town.

"I'm on my way."

Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot at Nate's. Buzzy and Jack were waiting for me at the door. "Jannie and Rizzo are waiting with him," Buzzy told me. "He's pretty far gone."

I nodded. "Has he told you anything?"

"Not really," Jack answered. "He did tell us that he's been staying with Henry but that's about it other than a lot of drunken mumbo-jumbo."

"Buzzy, call Henry and tell him to get his ass down here. I want to talk to have a word or a hundred with him."

Buzzy smiled. "Yes, ma'am," he said as he headed to the pay phone by the bathroom.

I followed my fiancée to my brother. Rob looked up at me. "Hey, Ellie," he slurred, clearly drunk out of his mind. "How are tricks?"

"Oh, things are great," I replied off-handedly. "Emily's in labor. I'm moving to Chicago. Mom is about to lose custody of Kathie. Life is absolutely great."

Jack and Jannie shook their heads while Rizzo rolled his eyes. Rob just looked at me like I was a two-headed space monster wearing a tutu and a tie. "Emily is in labor?" he repeated, clearly confused.

"Yes, she's going to have the baby, probably late tonight or early tomorrow morning," I told him slowly. "Rob, she's going to have your baby very soon. It's going to happen within the next few hours."

"We need to drink to that," Rob yelled.

He raised his arm to summon the bartender, when I slammed the arm into the table. "Rob, you're acting like Mom."

"No I'm not," he replied loudly.

I looked deep into his bloodshot eyes. "Robert McClanahan, you are dependent on booze. I can see that right now; you need to sober up or you're going to end up hurting people like Mom. You're already hurting people. You're hurting Emily and your child. You're hurting me. You're hurting Jannie, Buzzy, Jack, Rizzo, and all your other former teammates. Herb's worried about you. Rob, there are people out there who care about you."

"But you all lied to me in Lake Placid," he protested loudly. Rob was turning into the kind of drunk our mother was, loud and violent. I would have been scared normally, but I was with Jack, Rizzo, and Jannie. I trusted them and I knew they would protect me if Rob went crazy.

"Why do you think we did that? Do you think we did that to hurt you? We were trying to keep you focused on the team and the gold medal. We were trying to help you. Would you have been able to play your best if you knew that Mom and Dad were getting divorced? You can tell yourself whatever the hell you want, but I know you and I know the truth about you. You would not have been able to play up to your full potential if you had been worrying about that. Everything that was done was done with your good in mind. Believe whatever you want, but the truth is the truth. You needed us to hide the truth from you. We were going to tell you the truth when you were ready to hear it, but we had to wait for you to be ready." I was yelling now and I knew it. "Rob, grow up, sober up, and face your responsibilities. Until you're ready to do that, stay far away from Emily and the baby. They don't need anything to screw their lives up right now."

Rob looked at me and I knew my words had sobered him up some. For the longest time, he just sat there staring at me like I was that two-headed space monster again. I'm pretty sure I was wearing that tutu again; from my twin's facial expression, it was probably a fluffy pink tutu.

Then my twin brother spoke. "Ellie, I hate to say this, but you're right, as usual. I am turning into Mom and I need to stop that. I need to face my responsibilities and you were trying to help me. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you in the past few months. I'm really sorry. I know I'm going to need more than words to win my way back into your heart, but I figure I have a good start here. I'm going to prove myself to the people I love."

I nodded. "Okay. I need to go back to the hospital to be with Emily now." It was all I could think to say. Then I stood up and headed for the door.

I was at my car when I heard someone calling my name and I turned around and saw Jack, my Jack running towards me. "Wait a minute," he yelled.

When he reached me, he picked me up and spun me around. "I love you," he said as he set me down and started kissing me.

I clung to him with all my strength. "Jack O'Callahan, you're amazing. You're everything a girl could want in a man."

"Ah, you're not too bad yourself," he replied with a smile.

I hugged him. "Thanks for flying out here."

"Do you still want to talk to Henry?" he asked.

I had forgotten about that. "Is he here?"

My Boston boy nodded. "Yeah, he got here about a minute ago."

"I want to talk to him," I began. "But not here, I want to do it someplace quiet."

"We could go to a quiet pizza place to eat and talk," Jack suggested.

I smiled. "That sounds good."

"I'll go tell Henry and then I'll have Buzzy take Rob back to his place."

"You're perfect."

He laughed. "I'm not perfect, just really wonderful."

"I love you," I told him.

"I love you too," he replied, giving me a quick kiss. "Now I need to go talk to Henry."

We ended up going to Arielle's for pizza. It was peaceful and I could talk to Henry in peace. "Why did you let my brother stay with you and not tell anyone?" I demanded almost as soon as we arrived. "My father and I have been looking for him like crazy for the past six weeks. I've been worried sick out of my mind about Rob and then I find out he's been with you all along."

Henry looked at me with genuine apology in his eyes. "I know I should have contacted you, Miss Elizabeth, but Mr. Robert asked me to not tell anyone where he was. He said he needed some time to think things over and he wanted a break from his family. I was just trying to help him."

I sighed. "I get that, but people were looking for Rob. People were worried about him. Henry, right now Emily is in the hospital about to have Rob's baby. She needs him right now and we didn't know where he was. Buzzy Schneider had to create a search crew to go find him. I know you were trying to help, but you ended up hurting so many people."

Henry nodded. He was an older man, from England, who had been my parents' butler when I was younger. He was used to our family and our eccentric behavior, but also very proper. "I am deeply sorry, Miss Elizabeth. I had no idea what matter of trouble I would be causing for you and your family. I did not know that he was going to turn into your mother."

"No one did," I told him. "And I accept your apology. Rob will be staying with Buzzy tonight and we're all going to work together to figure this thing out together."

Henry nodded. "I completely understand and if I may be of any assistance at all, do not hesitate to contact me."

"I won't," I told him.

**Jack's POV**

So, Ellie and I left Henry and went back to the hospital. This day just kept getting longer and longer, but I knew that Ellie's day had been rougher. Looking for Rob and finding him drunk might be hard, but sitting in a hospital with Emily and then finding Rob drunk in a bar had to be worse.

And now we were going back to the hospital at two in the morning. Emily still hadn't given birth and she was complaining about it. She was just being typical Emily.

At the hospital, I ended up in the waiting room with Gayle. "Emily's having a tough time of it," she told me. "She doesn't like being in pain and she really needs Rob to be here for her. Dumb jackass that he is, he couldn't be forced to show his face for the birth of his first child though."

I nodded. "I can't believe he's missing this; I know I'd never want to miss the birth of my first child."

Gayle smiled. "Jack, you're a very different person from Rob. You aren't afraid of commitment like he is. It's probably part of what attracted Ellie to you; you're very different from her brother but similar to her father. You're very mature compared to Rob."

"Thanks," I told her.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew Ellie was waking me up and the clock in the waiting room said that it was half past seven in the morning. "What's going on?" I mumbled as I tried to wake up. "Did Emily have her baby?"

Ellie sat down next to me with a smile on her face. "She did."

"And?" I asked. "Boy or girl?"

"She had a beautiful little boy," she replied. "He is twenty-one inches long and weighs eight pounds, nine ounces. He has dark brown hair and gray eyes; he looks so much like Emily."

I smiled. "He sounds gorgeous; what's his name?"

"Logan David," she told me. "Apparently Rob picked that name."

I nodded and looked around the room. "Where is Gayle?"

"Buzzy brought Rob over here a little bit ago," my fiancée began. "And Rob is with Emily and Logan David right now; Buzzy took Gayle home so she could get some sleep."

"And when are you going home to get some sleep?"

She yawned and leaned against me. "Whenever you feel like taking me home, but first Emily wants you to meet your godson."

"My godson?" I asked.

Ellie nodded and snuggled closer to my body. "Emily wants us to be Logan David's godparents."

"Okay," I replied.

So, we went to see our godson. He was adorable. Logan David Sibley-McClanahan did look like his mother. "Isn't he beautiful?" Emily asked as we came in.

I nodded. "He is. Congratulations, Emily."

She smiled and thanked me.

Rob was also in the room and he was just staring at his son. "I can't believe all this is real. I can't believe it finally happened."

"Well, it's real," Ellie told her twin. "And you're going to need to take responsibility for your actions."

Rob just sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm working on it."

"Well, don't take forever to work on it."

"Yes, ma'am," came the response from the new father.

A/N: Okay, so this chapter is kind of short, but it does what it needs to do. So, please review soon! I hope you guys like it.


	26. Chapter TwentySix

A/N: Okay, I'm back with chapter 26. I still don't own _Miracle_ and I still love all my reviewers.

**Jack's POV**

Logan David Sibley-McClanahan was home and now a week old. Rob, Emily, Logan, Ellie, Heidi, and I were hanging out at Ellie's apartment and I had plenty of questions I wanted to ask Rob such as "Why did you leave Emily back in February?"

"You guys are going to think I am so crazy," Rob replied from his seat on a kitchen chair he'd dragged into the living room.

"We already think that," Ellie told her twin. "So just spill the beans. You had so people worried about you and we deserve an explanation."

Rob looked nervously around the room. Ellie and I were sitting on the couch with Heidi in my lap. Emily was sitting in the rocker with Logan. And Rob was isolated in his kitchen chair. I think Ellie's goal in that setup was to intimidate her brother into talking. She was mad at him and she wanted answers.

"I was scared," Rob told us. "I realized that after the Games, everything with the team was going to be over. I was going to have to go out there and get a real job. I was going to have to face the reality that Logan was coming into the world. I was going to have to start focusing on my family. My carefree college lifestyle was coming to an end and I didn't want it to end. And I knew that if I went to stay with Henry, he would be there for me and take care of me for a while. I knew it wasn't a permanent solution to my problem, but it would work until I was ready to face the music."

"And what about the people who needed you?" Ellie asked. "Rob, there were people depending on you and you let them down. You weren't there for your fiancée or your baby at a really critical time. Within about a month, Emily lost her job, you left her, and she lost her apartment. And she was pregnant. What did you think would happen to her?"

Rob shrugged. "I guess it's kind of obvious."

"Yeah, it is," I interjected. "It's very obvious that you didn't think. You didn't sit down and think about the fact that Emily was pregnant and unemployed. She was going to need support. At the first test of responsibility on your part, you flipped out and ran. You can't do that. If you're going to be a man, you have to face your challenges."

"But Jack," my fiancée's twin protested. "I'm not you. I'm not the chivalrous gentleman who will just jump up and take care of the damsel in distress. That's not me. I'm more cautious. Maybe it's because I grew up with my mother, but that's not the point."

"Two things," Ellie interrupted. "First of all, that is the point. And secondly, you've really been acting like Mom lately. You've been drinking constantly and just completely sidestepping responsibility. The point here is that you may not have been born with what you call Jack's naturally chivalrous nature; that's fine. But you have to compensate for that. You have to recognize the needs of the people you love. You can't just look out for number one. You have to demonstrate responsibility."

"There are consequences for your actions," I added. "Logan is a symbol of that. Rob, you've gone around with this 'devil may care' attitude for the past several years. That's not right. You have to look at the needs of the people around you. A week ago, Emily needed you more than she's ever needed you before. And you were in a bar getting drunk. Buzzy, Rammer, Bah, Jannie, Rizzo, Jimmy, Silky, and I were all out looking for you. And what happened? We found you drunk out of your skull in a bar. Meanwhile, Emily was in labor about to give birth to your child."

"I get it!" Rob yelped. "I messed up big time. So just tell me how to fix it."

Ellie and Emily must have been preparing for that question or something because they were so ready for it. "Get a job," Ellie began. "Get and keep a good job with steady income. You have a college degree; it shouldn't be that hard."

"Find an apartment," Emily continued. "You, Logan, and me, we need a place to live. Ellie is moving to Chicago in June and I can't keep freeloading off her forever. But here's the deal. I'm willing to live with you because Logan needs both his parents, but I'm not going to marry you or be your fiancée or any of that crap. You need to deal with your alcohol issues before I'll even think about that. And I also want you to deal with your whole running from everything mentality. Logan and I, we're your family now; you need to commit to us."

"Take responsibility for your actions," Ellie added. "Pay the bills. Cook some meals. Change some diapers. Contribute; help Emily out when she needs it. Don't wait for her to ask you for help; go to her and ask her if she needs help. And for God's sake, Robert, grow up."

I guess Rob started implementing those suggestions; I don't really know. I went back to Boston two days later. I didn't see Rob again until he helped Ellie move to Chicago two months later. But this is what I do know. He got a job working for an investment firm. It took him about six or eight weeks to actually find a job, so he lived with Buzzy and Gayle until he had a job. That apparently made things a little cramped over there but in the end, it worked out.

After he got the job, Rob got an apartment. It had two bedrooms, one for him and one for Emily and Logan. Rob didn't like that setup but those were Emily's conditions. It was the only way for him to have 24/7 involvement in his son's life.

Emily also found herself a job. It was a huge step down from her old job with the Minnesota Historical Society, but it paid money and it helped her support herself. Plus it accommodated Logan. She was working as a secretary at a day-care facility. The facility took care of Logan for free and she had flexible hours. She wasn't crazy about the job, but it paid money and they worked with her life. So she lived with it.

Ellie was keeping out of trouble. She had a temporary job as a physical therapist at a hospital in St. Paul but that job ended when they found someone more permanent. Heidi was still in the care of Fiona. And Ellie and I were still talking nightly.

And what was I up to? I was living with my parents and doing odd jobs for family friends. I painted houses one week and cleaned bathrooms the next. It was a pretty low job at times, but it kept me out of trouble and in cash. My plan was to move to Chicago in June. I was going to do a summer internship with an investment firm until training camp started for the Blackhawks.

But I couldn't wait for June.

**Ellie's POV**

Moving is crazy. I hate moving. I absolutely detest moving, especially moving from St. Paul to Chicago. We had to pack all of my stuff and all of Heidi's stuff up and put that, plus our furniture in a truck and drive to Chicago. It took two pick-up trucks, my car, Rob, Buzzy, and me to get everything to Chicago. Then we had to drive for hours, which meant we left St. Paul at the crack of dawn and drove all day only to get there in the early evening. Okay, traveling with a thirteen-month-old slowed things down a little but still it wasn't a walk in the park.

My apartment in Chicago made my place in St. Paul look like the Taj Mahal. My old place had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen with breakfast nook, a dining room, and a living room. My new place had a kitchen, a living/dining room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. There was no breakfast nook.

Heidi and I were cramped into one bedroom. We had a dresser, a changing table, a bed, and a crib in that room. Oh, and thankfully, there was a closet in the room. I barely had any room to move around the bedroom, so we spent as little time as was possible in there.

The kitchen was big enough to fit a stove/oven, a sink, a refrigerator, counters and cupboards, and a small table that seated four people. That afforded me great luxury in the living/dining room. In that room, we had a pullout couch, a chair, a rocking chair, a playpen, a desk, the TV, and room for Heidi and me to play. But you know what? There wasn't much space in that apartment but we were happy. Heidi and I were together, and, as sappy as this sounds that was all that mattered to us.

Jack's apartment wasn't much better. He had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living/dining room. The minute he saw my place he decided we were moving into his place after our wedding.

"I think that was a given," Buzzy said as we sat in my new apartment eating pizza and drinking soda in the living room. "Jack, there is no way they could find you in this place. They barely fit as it is."

Jack was being taken care of by the Blackhawks to a certain degree. They had paid him a signing bonus and found him the apartment. Plus they paid for him to move so he didn't have to deal with the hassle of working with the guys to get everything moved. But he still had to unpack for himself so I felt some vindication from that.

Me, I had no signing bonus. My paycheck about doubled when I moved, so that helped some, but it wasn't like having $25,000 instantly in the palm of my hand. And I had to drive down to Chicago on weekends and find my own apartment. And then I had to move myself. Thankfully, Erin, Gayle, Gabby, and Emily helped me pack. Buzzy, Jannie, Rob, Bah, and Rammer helped me load the stuff into the two trucks and my car. Buzzy and Rob drove down to Chicago with me.

"So, Rob," Buzzy asked. "How are things going with Emily?"

My brother shrugged. "We live in the same apartment, but we're on completely different planets. I don't know what she wants from me."

"Have you asked her?" Buzzy inquired.

"Nope," Rob replied. "I never really thought of that."

I swear Jack started slamming his head into the wall at that point. "I told you to talk to her," he said. "Rob, communication is the key to success in any relationship, especially yours. The breakdown of your relationship was due to lack of communication and the only way to heal this mess is to communicate with Emily. She is the mother of your child; you two need to work things out even if it's only so that you're on speaking terms for Logan's sake. Remember Logan is your son and possibly the most important person in your life right now."

"I want things to get better," Rob began. "I really do, but I'm so scared of touching Logan. I'm afraid I'm going to break him or something."

"You can't break a baby," Buzzy replied. "In fact, it's impossible to break Logan. Rob, he's ten weeks old for crying out loud."

"But he's so fragile," Rob protested.

"Babies do not break," I told him. "Rob, I'm telling you this from experience. Babies do not break."

"But what if I drop him?" Rob asked.

"Then Emily will kill you for being a stupid moron," Jack answered. "You're not going to drop Logan. I've seen you hold Heidi plenty of times and you've never dropped her. It's not like it's easy for a person of your intelligence to break a baby."

Rob was refusing to believe us. "Look, it's easy for you guys; you're naturally good with babies."

My fiancée sighed. "Rob, I'm not a natural with babies. I was scared to death the first time I held a baby in my arms. It's an acquired skill. If you keep holding Logan and you keep practicing, eventually you'll get good at it."

Rob looked like he didn't trust Jack for the world, but he reluctantly nodded. "Okay, if you say so."

My brother and Buzzy went home leaving Heidi, Jack, and I to fend for ourselves in the Windy City. I had a job and Jack's cousin, Lizzie, was babysitting Heidi while I was at work. We were all surviving but adjusting to Chicago wasn't exactly easy. I had to get up at five in the morning and be on a train at six-thirty to make it to work by seven. Lizzie had to be at my apartment by six-fifteen which meant she probably got up even earlier than I did.

Jack was busy with hockey stuff and I was trying to get used to my job. Getting settled in the apartment was a pain. I could never find anything because I was still working on unpacking. Things were still in boxes that were scattered all over the living room. We were eating canned and frozen foods. To tell the truth, I was getting sick of canned soup and TV dinners. Of course, I told Jack this and so he took me out for dinner. But due to various things including the fact that I didn't trust Lizzie with Heidi at night, we just went to a burger joint. It was fun though. We ate good food and talked. We spent time with our beautiful little princess. Oh I know Jack hadn't adopted Heidi yet, but he would after we got married.

So we ate burgers and laughed and talked. "So, any news out of your brother lately?" Jack asked at one point.

"Well, he held the baby once and then he freaked out. I can't figure it out. Why is he so scared of a little baby? It's not like Logan can hurt him or anything."

"I think he's afraid that he'll hurt Logan."

I sighed. "Yeah, well, trust me; he won't hurt Logan physically, but he is going to get kicked out of his son's life if he doesn't start holding his son and interacting with him."

"I know that," Jack replied. "But I don't think he really cares. Logan has never been his number one priority."

"Rob is Rob's number one priority," I told him. "It's the way we were raised. Our mom is an alcoholic and our dad was never around. Rob had no real male influence in his life so he ended up acting like Dad."

"But you're normal."

I laughed. "I got lucky. I grew up under the influence of the nannies and the cook. I've told you that before. That's how Jennie and Natalie ended up the way they are. Kathie has always been Mom's little pet."

"Crazy McClanahan family," Jack muttered. "You do understand that any and all time Heidi spends around your family will be monitored by yours truly. I'm not letting my little princess around them unsupervised."

"I wouldn't want her to be around them unsupervised. Emily, Natalie, and Jennie are okay, and my dad and Rob are okay sometimes, but Heidi is going to be off limits to my mom and Kathie."

"Works for me," Jack replied. "I don't want your family screwing her up."

I smiled. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen."

About a month later, I got a phone call from someone I never thought would call me-Kathie. "Mom's acting crazy," she sobbed into the phone. "Ellie, you've got to help me. She's smashing things and throwing stuff. And she won't stop yelling. Ellie, you've got to help. What should I do? I'm scared."

"Call Rob," I told her.

"I called him. Emily said he was at work and he wouldn't be home until late tonight." Rob was working terrible hours at his new job. It might have been financial broker, but he went to work at eight in the morning and didn't get home until nine or ten at night. He didn't like it but he needed to bring home money to take care of his family. The night he got his job that was what he told me. "I have to make some money to take care of my family."

"All right," I said, running my fingers through my hair. "Have you called Dad?"

"Natalie said he wouldn't be home until like midnight; he's working on a big case."

No one was available-typical of my family. "Okay, do you know Gayle and Buzzy Schneider's number?" I asked her.

"It's in the phone book," she answered.

"Call them and tell them what you told me. Buzzy and Gayle will do what they can to help you."

Kathie called me back about fifteen minutes later. "Buzzy and Gayle weren't home," she told me. "Now what do I do?"

I sighed. "Let me think a minute. Okay, try calling Patti Brooks and see if she can help you. If she can't, try calling Nina, Gabby, or Erin. Have whoever helps you call me and let me know what's going on. If you need me to, I'll come up there and help you."

"Okay."

Patti Brooks called me about an hour later. "Okay, Ellie," she said. "I've got some bad news for you. One of your mom's neighbors called the police about all the noise your mother was making and they arrested her for disturbing the peace. There's also something about resisting arrest and drunk driving."

"Oh man," I moaned. Mom was really in trouble now. "Have they set bail yet?"

"Your dad said he would take care of it," she replied. "But someone needs to take care of Kathie and she won't stay with your dad. She says he is pure evil or something. The woman from Social Services wants her to stay with you because she says that Rob and Emily do not have a stable home environment."

"In other words, she's going to be staying with me."

"The social worker is going to call you in the morning but I think you're right."

I sighed. "All right, well, I guess at this point all I can do is sit tight and wait it out until tomorrow morning."

The next morning, a social worker called me and asked me if I would be willing to take at least temporary custody of my sister. I agreed to do it. Well, somehow I ended up with custody of Kathie until she was eighteen. Jack and I had five years of Kathie, but she ended up growing up and it turned out to not be so bad.

A/N: Okay, well, I'm finally back. We'll see how much longer I actually stick around. I'm thinking this story will happen about three more chapters.


	27. Chapter TwentySeven

A/N: So I'm back with yet another chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

**Jack's POV**

Before I knew it, it was July of 1981 and Ellie and I were getting married. The wedding was a reunion of sorts for the hockey team. Rizzo was my best man. Jimmy, Rob, Silky, and James were the groomsmen. Emily was Ellie's maid of honor. Gabby, Erin, Annie, and Jennie were the bridesmaids. We got married on Saturday, July 11, 1981 in my parents' home parish of St. Michael's in Charleston.

Ellie wouldn't tell me anything about her dress before the wedding and it was driving me insane. My mother had seen the dress, my sister had seen the dress, Ellie's sisters had seen the dress; half the world had seen the dress. Ellie had gone to Boston six weeks before the wedding leaving me in Chicago wondering what was going on until I went home two weeks later. But even then I still was out of the loop for half the planning.

Oh I knew some things. I knew the date and the location. I knew we were having the reception at the restaurant Rizzo's uncle owned. I knew the guys and I were all wearing tuxes with black vests and bowties. I knew the ladies were all wearing pale pink dresses. I knew that Ellie was going to carry a bouquet of pink and white roses and the rest of the women in the wedding party were going to carry pink roses. But I didn't know much else.

But in the end that turned out to be a good thing. At ten o'clock on Saturday, July 11, 1981 I was standing at the end of the aisle watching as Silky and Annie walked down the aisle. My little sister was so beautiful. Her long light brown hair was hanging loose and she was wearing a pale pink dress with a halter-neck. She looked so grown up and so beautiful. I couldn't believe this was my same little sister who Jamie and I used to make eat bugs. She looked so pretty.

Then Jamie and Jennie came down the aisle. My little brother was so grown up. I couldn't believe he was twenty-one already. And good God, Jennie was eighteen. Where had time gone? Everyone was growing up.

Next came Rob and Erin. Rob had done a lot of growing up in the past year. Rob, as surprising as it sounds, was starting to take responsibility for his actions and for Emily and Logan. In fact, he and Emily were planning to get married the following April. Erin was still with Rammer and he was thinking about proposing to her, but thinking was the key word in that sentence.

They were followed by Jimmy and Gabby. Gabby had moved to Boston to be with Rizzo earlier in the year. He had asked her to marry him on Christmas and three weeks later, she moved to Boston-after talking about moving there for almost a year. Jimmy was living in Atlanta and still unattached. But we were working on that.

Then came Rizzo and Emily, which meant that Ellie was next. Rizzo was settling down in life. He had a job and he was getting married in September. He always was the responsible one. Emily, who was equally responsible, had a job and Logan. She was busy with work, Logan, and Rob, but she was managing. Or at least she told Ellie that she was managing.

And finally the moment I had been waiting for came. Mr. McClanahan and Ellie were walking towards me. I had been waiting for that moment for the past two years. I thought I was going to die of sheer ecstasy when I saw Ellie walking towards me.

Ellie was wearing a strapless gown that Annie had told me was a strapless A-line gown. It had gorgeous floral embroidery and metallic beading. She was wearing a white waist length sheer veil that was held on her head by a wreath of white roses. She was also wearing a simple diamond necklace with matching earrings. And of course, in her hands was the bouquet of white and pink roses.

She was gorgeous and I couldn't believe she was mine. I couldn't take my eyes off her as she approached me. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until Rizzo poked me and whispered in my ear, "You're turning blue, bud." And then I stopped holding my breath just as she reached me.

And then the priest started talking. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to witness the joining of this man and this woman. This is a sacred contract, binding and not to be entered lightly," he began. "Who brings this woman to be joined to this man?"

Mr. McClanahan said, "Her mother and I do." He smiled at me and then he went to his seat next to Natalie and Kathie. Natalie was holding Heidi and sitting next to Buzzy and Gayle who were there with their son, Billy, who was three months old.

The vows were the scariest part for me. I was terrified that she would stop or say no at some point. I know Jimmy and Rizzo kept telling me that would never happen, but I was still scared. Jimmy told me that I was crazy. "Ellie adores; why would she ever back out on your wedding?" Yeah, we'd talked about this. I was just a little worried.

"John, repeat after me," Fr. O'Connor told me. "I, John Patrick, take thee, Elizabeth Grace."

I was shaking as I said, "I, John Patrick, take thee, Elizabeth Grace."

"To be my lawfully wedded wife," the priest continued.

My voice was starting to shake as I said, "To be my lawfully wedded wife."

"For richer or poorer, in sickness and health forsaking all others and clinging only to you from this day forth until death do us part," Fr. O'Connor prompted.

"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and clinging only to you from this day forth until death do us part," I repeated firmly, staring deep into Ellie's eyes.

Fr. O'Connor turned to Ellie. "Elizabeth, repeat after me. I, Elizabeth Grace, take thee, John Patrick."

With tears welling up in her eyes Ellie looked at me and said, "I, Elizabeth Grace, take thee, John Patrick."

"To be my lawfully wedded husband," Fr. O'Connor continued.

Ellie repeated, "To be my lawfully wedded husband."

"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and clinging only to you from this day forth until death do us part," the priest told her.

Ellie smiled at me and said, "For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and clinging only to you from this day forth until death do us part."

Fr. O'Connor proceeded, "The rings, please." Rizzo produced the rings from his pocket. Fr. O'Connor looked at me. "John, repeat after me. I, John Patrick, give thee, Elizabeth Grace."

"I, John Patrick, give thee, Elizabeth Grace," I repeated, fingering the ring.

"This ring as a token of my undying love, affection, and fidelity all the days of my life," the priest completed.

I repeated the words, "This ring as a token of my undying love, affection, and fidelity all the days of my life."

Then I slipped the ring on her finger. Fr. O'Connor turned to Ellie. "Elizabeth, repeat after me. I, Elizabeth Grace, give thee, John Patrick."

She looked into my eyes. "I, Elizabeth Grace, give thee, John Patrick."

"This ring as a token of my undying love, affection, and fidelity all the days of my life" came next.

Ellie repeated it, "This ring as a token of my undying love, affection, and fidelity all the days of my life."

She slipped the ring on my finger. Then Fr. O'Connor smiled and said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. John, you may kiss your bride."

I pulled her close and kissed her. As we pulled apart, I whispered, "I love you so much."

And then Fr. O'Connor said, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. John Patrick O'Callahan." People starting clapping, my mother was crying, and I think even my father had tears in his eyes. Ellie's mother wasn't there, partially because she was in jail.

And I was over the moon. I had finally married Ellie.

A/N: Okay, so basically this is almost over. I just want to do two more chapters-one where he meets Michael Mantenuto and one with Herb's funeral just to end everything.


	28. Chapter TwentyEight

A/N: I love my reviewers. Y'all are so sweet and awesome. I love you! And I still don't own _Miracle_. That's just a fact of life these days.

Okay and one other thing: This chapter is dedicated to my amazing beta Emador who has faithfully stuck with this story for months and also helped create the character of Emily Sibley-McClanahan. (Rob's wife)

**Jack's POV**

It was January of 2003 and Disney was making a movie about the 1980 hockey team. Some production people for the movie had arranged for the actors to meet with the players they were portraying so they could get to know us better and understand our quirks. So a young man from Boston named Michael Mantenuto was coming to visit my family in our home in suburban Chicago.

I'd been married to the love of my life, Elizabeth Grace McClanahan-O'Callahan since 1981. And we had six amazing children. Our oldest, Heidi Louise, is almost twenty-four. Stephen John was born on May 14, 1982. Robert Michael was born February 12, 1984. Maria Isabella was born on June 24, 1986. Anna Christina joined our family on April 29, 1988. And our youngest, the surprise, Abigail Rose came into the world on February 11, 1997.

Heidi had graduated from the University of Illinois in 2000 with a bachelor's in nursing; she had so many AP credits that she entered college as a sophomore. In June of 2000, Heidi had married her high school boyfriend, Luke Wood. Luke and Heidi lived about half an hour away from us now. Heidi gave birth to their first child in March of 2001, a wonderful baby boy they named Nicholas John. In November of 2002, Nicholas got a baby sister named Sarah Olivia. Having two grandchildren when I was 45 made me feel a little old, but then I was only twenty-two years older than Heidi.

Heidi was tall, which came from her biological parents, and slender, which came from the fact that she'd been an athlete since she was four years old and put on her first pair of ice skates. She still had dark brown hair and green eyes and everyone who met her said she looked just like Ellie except for her eyes.

Stephen, who preferred to be called Steve, was twenty and a junior at Loyola University in Chicago, where he was working on a degree in business. He didn't have a steady girlfriend or any prospects of giving Ellie and me any grandchildren anytime soon. He was tall and built like me. He was the one who resembled me the most out of all our children. He had light brown hair and blue eyes.

Robert was eighteen and a freshman at Boston University, which he told me he picked to honor me. He wanted to be a high school math teacher. Ellie said that any and all mathematic ability our children had came from me and not from her. She was the science whiz of the house; I was the resident math whiz. Robert was tall and slender from years of running. He had his mother's dark brown hair and my blue eyes. He had spent four years of high school being followed everywhere by girls, but was currently single, being new in Boston.

Maria, who went by Maribella, was sixteen and a junior in high school. Her latest accomplishments were her driver's license and dating the same guy-Ben Jackson-since September. Maribella was the one who really looked like Ellie. She had dark brown hair and eyes and she was petite, just like her mother.

Anna was fourteen and a freshman in high school. She was the redhead of our family. She had auburn hair and blue eyes, which came from my Irish heritage-probably. She was the real skater in the family. She had been skating since she was four, just like her siblings, but she had taken to skating like a fish to water and was now skating competitively.

Abby was five and in kindergarten. She was small and looked like a miniature of Maribella. Abby had been a surprise. After Anna was born, Ellie and I had decided we were done having children; five was enough. Then, on our fifteenth wedding anniversary, Ellie found out that she was ten weeks pregnant. She was thirty-eight, well, we were both thirty-eight-but she was thirty-eight and pregnant. And then, Abby showed up the day before Robert's thirteenth birthday. Robert decided that she was an acceptable birthday present.

Michael Mantenuto was coming over for dinner the second Friday in January. And I was running late that night. I had a meeting with a client that had gone much longer than expected.

**Ellie's POV**

We were expecting company for dinner and Jack was running late. Michael was coming over at six and Jack had called me at five-thirty telling me that he wouldn't be home until six-thirty. And then Rob called just as the doorbell rang.

"Emily told me last week that Trina was going to get her cast off soon," I said as the doorbell rang. "Do you know when yet? Anna, get the door would you?"

"Just a minute, Mom," she called. "I just need to finish this email to Lauren and then I'll get it."

"I'll get it Mommy!" Abby yelled. "I'm in the living room already."

"It sounds like chaos over there," Rob said.

"That's for sure," I told him. "Michael Mantenuto is coming over for dinner to meet with Jack, but Jack's running late and Abby's answering the door and Heidi and Luke are coming over, but I don't know when."

"I thought Jack told me that Luke was going to pick Michael up."

"He is, but I don't know when Heidi's getting here and with the babies and everything, I'd like to know when they're getting here."

"I know how you feel," my brother replied. "Whenever Logan and Kate bring Jason over, Emily turns into a nervous wreck." Logan had married his high school girlfriend, Kate, the summer after his junior year of college and their son Jason was born in June of 2002.

"Mommy, Luke is here with the guy who wants to see Daddy," Abby said as she came into the kitchen dragging my son-in-law, Luke, behind her with someone I guessed must have been Michael Mantenuto following behind them.

"Hey, Mom," Luke said, hugging me. Luke is tall and thin from years of running. He met Heidi when they were both on their school's cross country teams. He has dark brown hair and eyes.

"It's good to see you, Luke. Do you know when Heidi will get here?" I asked.

He smiled. "Ever the nervous grandmother, Mrs. OC, don't worry. They should be here soon. Heidi said she was leaving the house around five-thirty, so she'll be here soon."

"Okay, if you say so," I said.

Luke patted me on the back. "Don't worry. She'll be fine; she knows what she's doing. Now, Mom, I want you to meet Michael Mantenuto. Mike, this is my wonderful mother-in-law, Ellie McClanahan-O'Callahan."

I smiled and shook his extended hand. "It's nice to meet you, Michael."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. O'Callahan," he said. "And please call me Mike."

"All right, Mike it will be," I replied. "And please call me Ellie. Mrs. O'Callahan is my mother-in-law."

Abby was tugging on my arm. "Mommy, can I talk to Uncle Rob? Please?"

"Just a minute," I told her. "Rob, can Abby talk to you? She misses you."

"She just saw me at Christmas three weeks ago," my brother replied. "But what the heck? She is my favorite five-year-old niece."

I handed my youngest daughter the phone. "Okay, Abby, don't talk your Uncle Rob's ear off."

"Yes, Mommy," she said as she ran out of the room with the cordless phone.

"Is she yours?" Mike asked me as I stirred the rice.

I nodded. "She's my youngest. Luke is married to my oldest."

"That must be quite an age gap," he said.

"It's eighteen years," I told him. "Heidi is twenty-three and Abby is five."

"How many children do you have?"

"Six," I replied. "We have four girls and two boys."

He nodded. "Are they all going to be here for dinner tonight?"

Luke shook his head. "Nope, Robert goes to school in Boston and Steve is busy. You just get to meet all the girls and the grandchildren."

"How many grandchildren do you and Mr. O'Callahan have?" Mike asked.

"Just two," I replied.

"You don't look old enough to be a grandmother," he said.

I smiled. "You're just trying to butter me up."

"No, I'm not," he protested. "I'm serious. You do not look old enough to be anyone's grandmother. You don't look old enough to have a daughter who is old enough to be anyone's mother."

"Heidi's adopted," Luke told him. "But she was born just after Ellie graduated from college."

Mike nodded as Abby came back into the kitchen with the phone and announced, "Trina's getting her cast off in two weeks. Uncle Rob said he'll call you back later when he can talk to you in peace and quiet. Does that mean I'm noisy?"

I took the phone from her as Luke picked her up and smiled at her. "No, it doesn't mean that you're noisy. It just means that the house is loud, busy, and chaotic and now isn't a good time for them to talk on the phone."

"Okay, that's good," Abby said, hugging her brother-in-law. "Mommy, Anna told you that she'd be downstairs like ten minutes ago and she's still upstairs talking to Lauren."

"Yes, Abby, I know."

"Do you want me to go get her? She's not supposed to be online for more than an hour at a time. Daddy's still mad at her for talking to Ryan until three in the morning last week."

I nodded. "Yes, sweetheart, I know."

"Well, aren't you going to go yell at her?"

Just then the front door opened and Heidi walked in carrying Sarah on her hip and leading Nicholas by the hand. Luke immediately put Abby down and rushed to help his wife. Abby took that opportunity to run upstairs-probably to yell at Anna for being on the computer too long. And then the garage door slammed as Maribella came in, having just got home from volleyball practice. "Mom, remind me to tell Dad that the Mazda could use some gas," she said as she threw her keys on the table and tossed her coat on top of them. "Oh, and can Ben come over for dinner on Saturday? His parents are going away for the weekend and he's just going to have frozen pizza for dinner."

"Sure, honey, just tell him to be here by five-thirty," I told her. "Oh, and Maribella, Stephen is going to be home this weekend, so you might want to talk to your father about making your brother toe the line."

She smiled and hugged me. "You're the best, Mom." Then she saw Mike. "Are you the guy playing my dad in that movie?"

"Mike Mantenuto, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Maribella O'Callahan," I interjected. "Maribella, this is Mike Mantenuto."

"It's nice to meet you, Mike," my daughter said shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you too," he replied.

"And this is my older sister, Heidi," Maribella continued. "She's married to Luke, who I assume you've already met, and she has two children, Nicholas and Sarah." As she said that, Maribella scooped Sarah out of Heidi's arms and kissed the baby's forehead.

Heidi smiled. "Mike, forgive my sister. She doesn't know when to stop talking."

"It's all right," Mike told her.

I noticed then that he had the same Boston drawl that my husband still had even though he hadn't lived in Boston for twenty-three years. Jimmy Craig always said of Jack that you "can take the boy out of Boston, but you can't take the Boston out of the boy."

"I'm going to take Heidi and the kids into the living room and help them put their coats away," Maribella told me.

"Why don't you have Luke do that?" I told her. "I want you to run upstairs and get Anna off the computer and while you're at it, tell Abby to leave Anna alone. And if you have to drag Abby back down here, go for it."

At that Maribella, Heidi, and Luke all left the kitchen, leaving Mike and me alone. "Where did Maribella's name come from?" he asked. "It's not a name you hear every day."

"Her real name is Maria Isabella," I told him as I stirred the rice. "When she was little, Jack used to sing this song to her about his beautiful Maria and Mike Eruzione heard this song once and he was singing it to her for some reason but he was singing it 'mi Maria bella' instead of 'my beautiful Maria' and my son Stephen heard him singing it. So one day, Stephen was singing the song to her with Rizzo's words, but he sang 'mi Maribella' and that just kind of stuck."

"I see," he said. "It's interesting because I'm trying to find out all these little things about your husband so I can portray him more accurately. And I have all kinds of questions I want to ask you because I know you were around the team a lot before the Olympics."

I nodded. "I'll do my best but you have to remember that Heidi was the number one focus of my life then and I wasn't around for everything. Like Norway, don't ask me about Norway; I've never been there."

"You didn't go with the team?" he asked.

"No, I was too busy and I actually ended up being sick that week anyway."

Just then, Anna burst into the kitchen closely followed by Abby. "Mom," my fourteen-year-old moaned. "Abby is being a pest. She keeps bugging me and she keeps telling me I have to get off the computer and she's being a total brat and honestly I don't see why you and Dad had to have her in the first place. I mean there is such a thing as controlling yourselves. She's so annoying and Maribella comes up and tells me that you want me to get off the computer and I don't see why because I told you I was emailing Lauren and okay I was also talking to Stephanie, but it's not that big a deal. I mean I'll be off the computer by the time Dad gets home and wants to use it."

"And people think that I talk too much," Maribella said. She had come in at some point during Anna's monologue.

"Well you do," Anna said. "You talk on and on about Ben and you have no sympathy for those of us who are single. Honestly, you'd think you didn't care about your sister."

"Anna, please stop and breathe for five minutes," I told her. "Maribella, would you take Abby and Mike into the living room so I can talk to your sister in peace?"

"Sure thing," my second oldest daughter said. "Hey, Mike, do you want to play a game with Abby and me? All she knows how to play is Go Fish."

"I haven't played Go Fish in a long time," he told her as they headed out of the room. "But I guess I could try."

"I'll teach," Abby told him. "Don't worry. I'm really good at Go Fish."

**Jack's POV**

I walked into my house at six-thirty to mass pandemonium. My wife was in the kitchen yelling at my fourteen-year-old daughter about overusing the computer-which Anna had really been doing lately. She was always online talking to her friends especially Lauren and Stephanie and her mother and I were starting to be a little more than concerned about the situation especially since the week before she had stayed up until three in the morning on a Wednesday talking to a boy.

Then I walked into the living room. Abby and Maribella were playing Go Fish on the floor with a young man who I suspected was Michael Mantenuto. Well, it looked like Maribella and Michael were playing the game while Abby enjoyed a not-so-quiet game of fifty-two card pickup with herself. She was throwing the cards up in the air and squealing as she did this. Of course, some of this act might have been for the benefit of my almost two-year-old grandson, Nicholas, who was sitting near her watching with great delight as the cards flew up in the air and then quickly fell back to the ground again. Luke and Heidi were on the couch with Sarah and Heidi was watching her youngest sister with a look that distinctively said, "Well, she's not my kid, so I don't have to yell at her."

I put down my briefcase and got down at my youngest daughter's level. Abby looked up at me with her mother's big brown eyes. "Hi, Daddy!" she said with a smile. "This person, Mr. Michael Man-Ten-Use-Oh is going to play you in a movie. I don't think he looks like you. You're too old to be him and he has too much hair to be you."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," I told her. "Now would you mind doing me a favor, Abby?"

"Sure, Daddy, what do you want?"

"Can you pick up those cards and put them away so that Nicholas doesn't eat them or anything?"

She nodded and set about cheerfully picking up the cards while singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

"Dad," Maribella said to me. "This is Michael Mantenuto. Mr. Mantenuto, this is my dad, Jack O'Callahan."

Michael smiled and shook my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. O'Callahan."

I scratched my head nervously and smiled. "Please, call me Jack. Mr. O'Callahan is my father. And it's nice to meet you too, Michael."

"Actually, I prefer Mike, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, one of my best friends in college was Mike," I told him.

"Uncle Rizzo?" Abby asked. "I miss Uncle Rizzo. When can we go visit him?"

"Maybe this summer," I told her.

"Oh goodie!" she squealed. "I want to go see Paul and Mike; I like their piggyback rides." She handed me the deck of cards. "And here you go, Daddy. I cleaned them all up."

I took the cards and gave them to Luke who put them on the coffee table. Mike looked at her. "Do you like piggyback rides?"

"Do you know how to give piggyback rides?" she asked him. "My daddy gives good piggyback rides but it's not good for his knee. He hurt it in the Olympics when Heidi was a baby. And Luke doesn't know how to give GOOD piggyback rides. Steve and Robert give good piggyback rides, but they're not home."

"I have three younger sisters," Mike told her. "I used to give them piggyback rides."

"Do they think you give good piggyback rides?"

"They've never complained."

"Okay," she said eagerly. "Can I have one now?"

Just then Ellie came into the room and Mike said, "Why don't we wait until after dinner? I think your mom is ready to serve dinner."

And she was.

After dinner, Mike gave Abby a piggyback ride that she declared to be "almost as good as Daddy's". Ellie and I went into my study with Mike to talk to him for a while. "Heidi might come in later, but she doesn't remember anything really. She just remembers things from later," I told him.

He seemed to be fine with that. "So," Ellie began. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"

"Well, I'm the oldest of four kids," he began. "I was born in Holliston, Massachusetts. My dad taught me to skate as soon as I could walk. He loves hockey. He used to be the assistant principal and hockey coach at Holliston High School, but he had a stroke in 1993 that almost killed him. He's recovered pretty well, but he'll never be the same. Now, he's a hall monitor at another high school."

Ellie nodded sympathetically. "What about your mom?"

"She's a therapist."

"So is Ellie," I told him.

Mike looked at us. "Are you serious?"

My wife nodded. "I was actually the team physical therapist for the 1980 team."

"She took good care of us though," I said. "She was therapist, mother, and sister to all of us."

Mike laughed. "So, what else can I tell you?"

"Do your sisters skate?" Ellie asked.

"Yep, all three of them do. My dad taught us all how to skate as soon as it was possible."

"Where did you go to college?" I asked him.

"I started at the University of Maine and I played hockey there for a while. But then I transferred to the University of Massachusetts-Boston. And then this happened, so I'll finish my degree someday, but I'm not sure when."

"Is there anything else you want to tell us?" Ellie asked. "Or do you want to start interrogating us?"

Mike smiled. "I have a question. Are you guys Catholic? The reason I ask is there are crosses in all the rooms and you have pictures of saints in the living room."

"Yeah, we are Catholic," I told him. "I was raised Catholic and Ellie and Heidi became Catholic about a year after we got married."

"Which saints are those paintings of?" he asked.

"We have St. John the Evangelist, St. Patrick, St. Elizabeth, St. Louis, St. Stephen, St. Michael, St. Anna, St. Rose of Lima, Mary, the Mother of God, St. Robert Bellarmine, and St. Isabel of France," Ellie explained. "They are the patrons of everyone in the family. In their rooms, the kids have their Confirmation saints as well."

"Whose patron is St. Louis?"

"Heidi's," I said. "Her middle name is Louise. She says St. Louis is fine, but she prefers her Confirmation Saint."

"Who is that?"

"St. Clare of Assisi," Ellie said. "That's funny though because Stephen's Confirmation name is Francis from St. Francis of Assisi."

Mike nodded.

**Ellie's POV (honestly the only reason I switched POV is I was getting bored of Jack after three pages of his POV)**

Then Mike started asking us questions about the Olympics. He was very interested in Jack's relationship with his teammates-especially Rob-and his relationship with Herb. Jack laughed when Mike brought up Herb. "Was he as distant from the team as everyone says he was?"

Jack nodded. "He kept his distance from us. We never really got to know him personally. It was strange; I've never had a coach like that before. He rarely even showed emotion in front of us. I know that he was trying to force us to unite as a team, but it was just odd."

My memories of Herb during those months are different than anyone else's. I remember him as the man who was distant but also took the time to care about me and all the crap in my life. He knew about the demise of my parents' marriage as it happened. He knew about Rob's struggles. Herb Brooks had been a better parent to Rob and me than our real father had. I'd known him since I was fourteen and I'd babysat Danny and Kelly for years. Even now when I go back to St. Paul, I visit with Patti and Herb, Danny and his family, and Kelly and her family. But I knew that Herb had treated the 1980 team differently than he'd treated any other team.

Mike looked at me. "Is it true that you asked that the story of your relationship with the team be kept out of the movie?"

I nodded. "If you include me in the movie, then you have to include my relationship with Jack. And if you include my relationship with Jack, you have to include Rob's relationship with Emily, Rizzo and Gabby, Rammer and Erin, Bah and Vanessa, Johnson and Nina, and Buzzy and Gayle and it just becomes too much."

"Did Mike Eruzione marry the woman he was dating during the Olympics?"

Jack took that one. "He did. Rizzo and Gabby were married in 1982 and their oldest child, Michael Junior, was born in 1984, and Paul was born in 1988. Gabby died in 1995 of cancer, leaving Rizzo heartbroken. He's learned to live with it but I don't think he'll ever really recover from it."

We talked to Mike for a few more hours. He liked hearing stories about people on the team and how everyone picked on Bah. He loved hearing about the games of twenty questions on the way to Lake Placid and about Jack being the "tailless wonder". "If your cast can have half the fun that the boys had back in the day, you guys will be the best of friends for the rest of your lives," I told him.

"Do you remember the monosyllabic sheep dating the endless stream of yammering?" Jack asked me.

I laughed. "Somehow, they've managed to survive over twenty years of marriage without her talking him to death. I'm not sure how they did it." I turned to Mike. "We're talking about Bah and Vanessa Harrington."

"He rarely talks; she never stops talking," Jack said. "And they have two daughters who are silent like their dad and two sons who never stop talking; it's amusing."

Mike smiled. "It sounds like it."

Just then I looked at the clock. "It's almost ten and I need to make sure that Maribella put Abby to bed."

"And check that Anna isn't on the computer in our room," Jack told me. "I want to talk to her tomorrow about her excessive computer use."

"All right," I replied. "Good night, Mike. It was nice meeting you."

"Actually, there was one other thing I wanted to talk to you both about really quickly."

"All right," I said, sitting back down.

"This might make you not like me very much," he began. "But I should probably tell you this. My girlfriend and I are expecting a baby together in a few months. We aren't planning to get married because we're not sure that we love each other like that and I'm not really sure where this relationship is going, but I just want to be up front with you about this."

My husband nodded. "Okay, I'm fine with that."

"Are you sure?" Jack asked. "I know you're Catholics and Catholics don't approve of having sex before you're married."

"That's true, but in our house we also believe in accepting people where they are," I told him as I stood up. "Don't worry about us. Now I really do need to go check on my daughters. Good night, Mike; it was nice meeting you."

He stood up and shook my hand. "It was nice meeting you too."

And then I went to check on my daughters.

A/N: Okay, one more chapter left; that's mostly just an epilogue to tell you guys what the rest of the team is up too. You've gotten hints of what's going on with Bah, Rizzo, and Mac, but the next chapter will mostly just let you know what's going on with everyone.


	29. Chapter TwentyNine

**A/N: ** Well, since this is the final chapter, I guess I should say one last time that I don't own _Miracle_. And thank you for your faithful readership over the past year. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. And see the end of the chapter for a few acknowledgements.

**Jack's POV**

It was a hot Monday evening in August of 2003. Heidi had moved out a few years earlier but the rest of my children were in the living room at home, watching TV. Suddenly the phone rang and Anna jumped up. "I'll get it," she said running to the kitchen phone.

Anna came back in a few minutes later with the phone in her hand. "Dad, Uncle Rob's on the phone and he wants to talk to you. He says it's important."

I took the phone from my daughter and went in the kitchen. "Hey, Rob, what's up?"

"I've got some bad news for you," he said. "There was an accident and it was bad."

"Is Emily all right? Are Logan, Meghan, Shane and Katrina all right?" I asked worriedly.

"They're all fine," he said. "But Herb's not."

"What happened?"

"Jack, Herb's dead."

I just stared at the refrigerator as my eyes began to tear up. "When?"

"Earlier today," he replied.

It seems a strange occasion for a reunion, but here we are, all twenty of us reunited. It's been years since we've all been together. And we're here because Herb Brooks is dead; we're together for his funeral. The man who drove us to our breaking point was gone. And I missed him.

Twenty-three years earlier, Herb Brooks had taken a group of boys and turned them into men. He had molded each of us into the person we are today. And as I looked around the funeral home, I could see the effects of that molding.

Rob McClanahan, my brother-in-law, was standing with his wife of twenty-one years and their two daughters. Meghan Joy McClanahan was eighteen and Katrina Marie was sixteen. Rob and Emily's oldest child, Logan David, was standing with his cousin and my daughter, Heidi Louise O'Callahan, and Buzzy's older son, Billy. The three of them were laughing over some memory of Herb; they all had memories of him. They had grown up around the team.

My wife, Elizabeth Grace McClanahan-O'Callahan, was standing with Buzzy and Gayle Schneider. My other five children were scattered around the room. My second sons, Stephen John and Robert Michael, were standing with Neal Schneider, Rizzo's two boys, Michael and Paul, and Rob's youngest, Shane Andrew. My second oldest daughter, Maria Isabella, was talking to Mark and Nina Johnson's daughter, Lucy. My second youngest daughter, Anna Christina, was flirting with Paul Eruzione, much to my fatherly chagrin. And my baby girl, Abigail Rose, was hanging onto her mother.

Heidi was twenty-four and adopted; she was born before I even met Ellie. Ellie adopted her first and then I adopted her when I married Ellie. Stephen was twenty-one. Robert was nineteen. Maribella was seventeen. Anna was fifteen and Abby was six.

Logan David Sibley-McClanahan was born six weeks after the Olympics ended. But his parents didn't marry until two years after he was born. Meghan Joy was born two years later and was eighteen. Katrina Marie was next and was sixteen. Shane Andrew is their baby at fourteen.

It was nice seeing everyone again. Coach Patrick was there. Even Doc and Velta were there; Paul Eruzione was guessing that they were about a million years old.

Mark Pavelich was there; that was a shocker. Pav hadn't been to anything in about ten years. Mostly he just lived up in his cabin in northern Minnesota. It must have been cold, but then Mark always was a bit of recluse. Somehow he had managed to get married and he was there with his wife, Renee. Mark and Renee have three daughters. Kendra was eighteen, Meredith was fourteen, and Maureen was eight.

Bah and Vanessa were there with their kids. Caitlin was twenty, John Junior was eighteen, Kevin was sixteen, and Jenna was fourteen. And yes we did realize that the three youngest McClanahans are the same ages and opposite genders as the three youngest Harringtons; there were frequently jokes made about marriages between Bah's and Mac's kids.

Rizzo, obviously, was there with Michael and Paul. I knew Rizzo still missed Gabby, but he was doing well. He was getting on with life and not dwelling over his dead wife.

Rob, as previously stated, was there. Actually, the entire McClanahan clan was there. Mr. McClanahan, now well into his seventies, was there with his second wife, Donna. She was about ten years younger than him and had two children of her own from a previous marriage.

Jennie McClanahan-Brewster was there with her husband, Joe Brewster, and their two kids, Ryan and Andrew.

Natalie was there with her husband, Peter Roy, and their children, Elise and Nicole.

And Kathie was there with her husband, Nathan Webster, and their son, Ephraim. Kathie had changed so much in the past twenty-three years. Now she was a fun person to be around. Rob said that it was all purely a result of the five years she had spent living with Ellie and me.

But back to the team…

Jimmy Craig was there with his wife, Sherry, and their three kids. Don was fifteen, Lindsay was thirteen, and James was eleven. They lived just outside of Boston near Jimmy's dad.

Suter and Baker were there, not the "Beautiful Blondes" as Ellie called them twenty-three years ago, but they were still their insane nutty selves. They still made jokes with Johnson about the entire population of Sweden being blonde.

Mark and Nina Johnson were there with their three kids. Mark Junior was eighteen, Lucy was sixteen, and Michelle was fourteen. They all lived in Wisconsin but we saw them every other year at Christmas when both families went to St. Paul to visit our families. It was nice because my son Rob was good friends with Mark Junior and my daughters, Maribella and Anna, were good friends with Lucy and Michelle. I loved watching my teammates' children interact with each other-even if we were all brought together by a sad occasion.

Dave Silk was there with his wife, Liz, and their kids. Liz was Dave's second wife. He and his first wife, Kerri, had divorced about ten years ago citing irreconcilable differences. Dave and Kerri shared custody of their two kids, Shaun and Jillian. Shaun was fifteen and Jillian was thirteen. Dave and Liz also had three kids of their own. Allyson was seven, Eric was five, and Josh was three.

Rammer was there with Erin. They had two kids. Michael was twenty and Andrew was eighteen and they both played hockey.

Buzzy and Gayle were there, as I mentioned earlier. Their sons, Billy and Neal, were there with them. Billy had played his father in the movie about us and the resemblance between the two of them was striking.

Phil Verchota was there with his wife Christine. Phil had finally given up his womanizing ways about ten years ago and settled down with a nice accountant from Duluth. Phil and Christine have three children; Evan was nine, Kyle was seven, and Tony was five.

Dave Christian was there with his wife Lisa. All of Dave's trademark frizzy hair had fallen out a few months earlier during treatment for Hodgkin's disease. He was fine now, but he had us all pretty scared for a while there. The great thing for was that his cancer had saved his marriage. He told me that he and Lisa had been planning to separate when they found out about his cancer. Somehow, fighting for his life encouraged both of them to fight for their marriage. Dave and Lisa had two children; Beth was fourteen and Tyler was eleven, but now they were talking about adopting another kid or two, which both encouraged and amazed me.

Jannie was there with his wife, Cindy, and their son, Trevor. Jannie always felt a little left out of the team because he didn't play that much and I think he might have resented Herb for that just a tad.

Ken Morrow and his wife, Joyce, were there. Ken and Joyce never had any children because of her job as a foreign correspondent for a newspaper. They always talked about it but it never quite happened. But they were always the cutest couple at the reunions-when they were both there.

Steve Christoff was there with his sons, James and Peter. Steve and his wife had been separated for a while now. He wasn't supposed to have custody of James and Peter that week but their mother let him have them so they could pay their respects to Herb.

Neal Broten was there with his wife, Sally. Neal and Sally had three daughters who were all figure skaters. Grace was twelve, Nia was ten, and Elsie was eight.

Eric Strobel was there with his wife Eileen. Eric and Eileen had three children; Emma was thirteen, Eric Jr. was eleven, and Elizabeth was nine. We all commented on how they had the same first and last initials. (And to make life really exciting, they also all had the same middle initial.)

Mark Wells was there, still single. Mark was the eternal bachelor out of all of us.

Ralph Cox was also there with his family. We all knew that he had forgiven Herb and had a great deal of respect for the man.

Also in attendance were numerous hockey players from around the world and other important figures in hockey and at the University and Minnesota and just in the state of Minnesota. Timmy Harrer was there as well as all the surviving members of the USOC from 1980. President George W. Bush had sent a condolence card to Patti Brooks as had numerous previous presidents including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. It was almost unbelievable seeing the outpouring of support for the Brooks family. Herb Brooks would be missed in a way that few other people in the world have been or will be missed. Herb was amazing. Somehow he managed to make men out of boys, and in our case, he had turned us into men in just seven months.

The funeral was a solemn ceremony filled with reminiscences of Herb. Danny Brooks spoke for nearly an hour about his memories of his dad. Mac talked about knowing Herb since he was fourteen years old. "Herb Brooks was my hockey coach for five years and he taught me a great deal about hockey," Rob said. "But he was more of a life coach to me about thirty years. He was like a second father to me and he taught me some of life's greatest lessons. He taught me how to look beyond the name on a man's hockey jersey and see his true colors-in his heart. Thanks to Herb Brooks, I have made some amazing friendships. Herb introduced my twin sister to her husband and although Jack did play for Boston University, I learned to respect him for who he was as a person, not what the name on his jersey said."

I smiled as Rob said that. Over the past twenty-four years, Rob McClanahan had become one of my closest friends as well as my brother-in-law. I respected his professional opinion and I also respected his opinions on raising children. He had raised his son to be a fine young man who took responsibility for his actions. And his daughters and Shane were also turning out to be good young adults.

Patti Brooks was sitting in the front pew of the church with Danny, Kelly, and their families. She looked so lonely, so forlorn without Herb. I'd never seen her look so sad or empty. And I knew she really missed her husband. They'd been married for thirty-eight years and he'd suddenly been taken from her-overnight it seemed. Poor Patti, she was such a good, kind, and amazing woman.

After the service was over, I watched as Dan Brooks, Rob McClanahan, Buzz Schneider, Mike Ramsey, Kelly Brooks's husband, and three of Herb's nephews carried the coffin out to the hearse to be taken to the cemetery for internment. The whole event was a sea of sadness.

At the restaurant after the burial service, I sat with my old teammates and their families and we reminisced about Herb Brooks. "Who remembers Herbies?" Bah asked.

"Those Coneheads never were too bright," Rizzo said. "Who doesn't remember Herbies?"

We all laughed as Rammer asked, "Okay, then, has anyone ever forgotten Norway?"

"Are you kidding?" Strobel replied. "My legs still haven't forgotten Norway. They start to ache just at the sound of the word 'Norway'."

I smiled. "Okay, who remembers little baby Heidi?" Rob asked.

We all looked over at Heidi together when he said that. Heidi was talking to Gayle Schneider while holding baby Sarah. "Now little baby Heidi has a little baby of her own," Verchota said.

"Actually, she has two little babies of her own now," Buzzy said. "Nicholas is with his father."

"I still remember the sign Herb posted in the hallway that said 'Beware of baby toys'," Mark Johnson said.

"Oh, and it was meant for reporters," Mac said. "And OC found out about that so he taped another sign over it said 'Beware of killer baby.'"

Jim Craig laughed. "And you guys had Herb convinced that I had done it and Herb believed you even when I told him it was OC because OC and Ellie were dating so why would OC put a sign like that up?"

"Because I hate reporters," I told him. "They were annoying. They were always asking dumb questions about Herb being a control freak and stuff. Besides, do you ever think that any of them actually believed we had a killer baby in the rink?"

"No," Jim said. "But I didn't appreciate having you blame me for everything. If you blew your nose too loudly during practice, I got in trouble for it."

"Jim, you do know that I only did all that stuff because we're friends, don't you?" I asked him.

"Well, of course," was his response.

I miss spending time with those guys every day but at the same time, I don't really want to be twenty-two again. I love my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and everything. I'm happy where I am now.

Twenty-four years ago, the first thought that popped into my head when I saw Elizabeth Grace McClanahan was "This girl is a babe."

Twenty-two years ago, when I saw her walking down the aisle towards me was "She's gorgeous. Is she really mine?"

And she's only gotten more beautiful as time has gone on. Oh, sure I hated her when I found out she was from Minnesota AND she was Rob's sister, but I love her more than anything else now.

She was a diamond in the rough.

**Ellie's POV**

I've been married to Jack for twenty-two years now. And we've had our ups and downs, but I've always loved him. Oh, sure I wasn't sure about him when I met him, but now I know that he was a diamond in the rough just waiting to pop out of his Bostonian shell.

A/N: Okay, this over. I'm done with it. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed. I'd also like to thank my beta-Emador-for being amazing, always. And a special thanks to my little sister Charlotte who came up with the idea for this story after wondering why on earth OC got a cigar for Christmas.


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